A Link To The Middle
by geekyfiki
Summary: We all know the three triforce holders-Link, Ganondorf, and Zelda. But what happens when there's a middle one-the triforce of balance?
1. Part 1

Chapter 1

A pain shoots through my body, causing me to scream. No one will hear me, I know. There is no one around here. Not even the forest elves dare to come into this part of the woods. Only the enemies, the creatures will. I scream again. The pain hits my entire body. All the way into my fingers and toes. I can't stand it. It feels like I'm being stabbed everywhere. I let out another scream, and then the pain is gone. All that's left of it is a weakness inside of me. I can hardly stand. This isn't the first time this has happened. Throughout my life, there have been these pains. None of them get better or worse. Although, I can't see how it could get any worse.

I weakly stand up, starting down the ladder of my tree house. There, I come to a small pond, where I wash my face off and drink. I stare at my reflection for a moment-the same as usual. A pale face with green eyes stares back at me. My brown hair droops around my face, framing it. I look tired. I can tell by the little bags under my eyes. I shake my head and begin to turn away. The water ripples, though, and I look back. Nothing could cause the water to ripple so much. I investigate closer. A darkened face-seemingly familiar-stares at me. I stumble back, frightened. _I'm just imagining things._ I think to myself. I creep closer, but the image is still there. The man looks elfin, but uglier. He has orange hair and yellow eyes. His grin sends shivers down my spine.

"What do you want!?" I question. I've known a few magical beings, but this is much more powerful magic than an elf is able to handle. The man's grin widens, and he opens his large mouth to speak.

"Bring the other two members of the Triforce, or die," he says. The image shimmers away, and I'm left with my own, disgruntled reflection. _Maybe it didn't really exist._ I think to myself. It is, after all, the middle of the night. I could have been imagining it. But in my heart, I know who it is and what he wants. I cringe just to _think_ of his name. _Ganondorf._ I shake my head and walk back up to my tree house. He couldn't possibly want anything to do with me. I'm an elf, just like any other. Or, at least, part elf. My caretaker was an elf, who was very kind. She told me all about the Triforce. She even knew the Triforce of Courage, Link, personally. I didn't believe her, though. She did say something. She said that the Triforce had three parts: Power, Wisdom, and Courage. Ganondorf has power, Princess Zelda has wisdom, and Link has courage.

Saria always said there was a middle piece, or, rather, there was not a middle piece. It was blank. The middle piece represents the difference between the three. She said the middle person may or may not exist. I really don't have anything to do, honestly. I can't just do as Ganondorf asks. The land has been in total chaos since Ganondorf took over again. Link hasn't popped out to save the day yet, but he will soon. We all know it. I sit back on my bed, too tired to sleep again. The sound of hooves alarms me. No one comes near here this time of night. No one comes here at any time. I steal a peak out of my window. There, a figure in green gets off a red-brown horse. I gasp and tuck my head back into my house. I grab my cloak and wrap it around me, pulling the hood over my head. Someone gave it to me a long time ago, though I don't remember who. I don't want any strangers to see my face.

A gentle knock on the door practically sends me into spasms. I tuck my sword into its sheath on my back and answer the door. Standing in front of me is the very Hero of Time, Hyrule, Winds, and Light. And all I can manage to say is

"What are you doing here?" The words tumble out of my mouth. Link doesn't say anything. He reaches into his bag and pulls out a letter, then motions for me to open it. I invite him inside. He shakes his head. I drag him by the wrist and force him to sit in a chair. He seems freakishly uncomfortable, but I'm too busy with the letter. Something about him sitting in that chair seems familiar, but I shake it off. I light a candle (which probably isn't the smartest thing, since it is a tree house) and look at the letter. In cursive lettering, the words _The Center Triforce_ is written. I stare at it. The symbol for the royal family is next to the words. I open it, revealing a long letter.

_Dear Miriam,_

_ I hope you do not find this letter alarming. Hopefully Saria has already told you about the center of the Triforce. I realize that you feel pain when the other members of the Triforce touch each other. Now that Ganondorf has taken over the land once again, we'll need your help. Link cannot simply run into the castle and defeat him again. We'll need you to help us. You see, there are other forms of us. There's a dark version of all of us, even Ganondorf. There is a Dark Link, Dark Zelda, and Dark Ganondorf. We believe that Ganondorf has kidnapped Dark Zelda, my other form. If you have felt pain recently, this is probably why. You represent the distance between us. We're all connected in a way, but we're also completely different._

_ Link does not talk much, I realize. He is great company, though. He's not nosy or pushy or insensitive. Now that I think of it, he'll do just about anything for you. He's very polite and a great swordsman. I hope you'll find him suiting for your ride to the castle. He knows you better than you think he does. We've also figured out a way to bring along someone who _does_ talk. No worries. It is not Navi. We've discovered a mirror to the Twilight world, and it's an easy way to stay in touch with Midna. She will speak to you and explain anything you need. Please hurry. If Dark Zelda or Dark Link dies, so does the other. _

_ Thank you,_

_ Princess Zelda of Hyrule_

I finish reading the letter and sit down on my bed, my cloak still on and pulled over my eyes. Link looks at me, his expression blank. I stare back. He probably can't see my eyes. I shake myself off and take off my cloak. I hear a soft gasp from the corner where Link sits. I turn around and grin.

"What? Say something. Am I so beautiful you have no words left?" I smirk.

"Hey! That's my line!" A voice says from the corner. I turn and look at Link. He pulls out a small mirror, just like what Zelda said.

"You must be Midna," I say, bowing. "It's an honor to meet you."

"Just get ready for your journey," she snaps. Link puts her back into the bag. I grab my bag, some jars, potions, bow and arrows, and put on my gloves. I put my dark green cloak back over my head and grab Link's wrist.

"Let's go," I say, climbing down the ladder. I walk over to Epona, petting her. She snorts and neighs. I've never been good with horses. Before I know it, Link is holding his hand out to me. I stare at him. He stares back. It becomes a staring contest. He blinks first. "You lose!" I laugh. He looks totally lost. I ignore it and take his hand. He pulls me onto Epona. I don't know how the heck he did that in one move. "How did you do that…?" I ask. He shrugs and kicks Epona with his boots. Being on Epona seems familiar, though I really don't know how, since I never ride horses. Epona begins to gallop, and I'm forced to hold onto Link. Midna makes a joke about that from the mirror, but I ignore it. Apparently so does Link. I hold on tightly, making sure not to fall off of Epona. Epona seems to find it funny, because she stops and kicks with her back feet. Link sighs, shaking his head.

"Hurry up, you two. I'd like to get out of this Twilight Realm about now," Midna barks.

"Why?" I ask her. I always thought she belonged in the Twilight Realm.

"Because now that things are messed up in your world, they're messed up in mine. Dark Link keeps going over to your realm to set things straight and rescue Dark Zelda. Plus, he has another girl with him that he rescued from Ganondorf a while back. This is screwing up everything. Now I have to go to the Light Realm in imp form. _Again,"_ Midna complains. I stifle a giggle, but she hears it. "Oh, hush, elf girl," she says. "Now, MOVE EPONA." Epona lets out a snort, but runs faster. I hold on tighter. A Bulblin comes running after us, trying to attack. Link unsheathes his sword and kills the Bulblin immediately. He sheathes it again.

"I'll handle any others," I tell him, pulling out my bow and arrow. He nods. Another Bulblin comes out, but I hit him with my arrows. Several other creatures come popping out but quickly die. We reach a clearing with some old castle ruins. Epona slows to a stop, and Link gets off. He offers to help me off as well, but I slide off Epona on my own. Link shrugs and walks over to a part of the ruined wall, where he unsheathes his sword. He holds the blade in the middle for a moment, closing his eyes.

"Hiya!" he lets out, slashing down on the wall. Nothing happens for a moment, then, a tumbling sound occurs. I use my cloak as a shield, protecting from the dust and small rocks around us. Epona neighs and Midna lets out a shout, but Link just stands there, saying nothing. The rumbling stops, and the dust clears. There stands a very large circle. I can't say it's a mirror, because you really cannot see yourself in it. It has a lot of swirls and designs in it, and in the center is the Triforce. A light erupts from it, causing Link and I to shield our eyes. Standing-er-floating there is Midna in imp form.

"It is an honor to meet you, Midna," I bow. She rolls her eyes.

"Get up, you moron. We're both very honorable people, so what? Let's go kick some Ganon butt!" she grins. I can tell Midna and I are going to get along just fine. "Excuse me while I go be Link's shadow. Again," she mumbles, transforming into Link's shadow. Link is totally unfazed by the whole exchange. We turn to get back on Epona, but a sound from the mirror makes us turn sharply. There stands Link and another girl with a black horse. But Link has suddenly changed clothes. He turns to look at me. His eyes are red. I gasp. It's Dark Link! A girl with blonde hair and blue eyes looks at us shyly from behind Dark Link. Both Links draw their swords. I step between the two.

"Stop," I say, holding my hand out in front of them. I use my other hand to pull my hood down further. "Fighting won't help. Let's go find Dark Zelda," I suggest. Both Links sheathe their swords. The girl looks out from behind Dark Link.

"Who are you people?" she asks. She obviously isn't from the Twilight Realm. She's too pale and frail looking to be from the Twilight Realm. Link clearly isn't going to say anything, so I'm forced to.

"I'm Miriam, and this is Link. Who are you?" I ask her simply.

"I'm Ookami. This is Dark Link, but I call him Lark," she smiles. "He didn't tell me why we were coming here," she says.

"I'm surprised any kind of Link would say anything at all. You're here to rescue Dark Zelda. Our Ganondorf has kidnapped her. If he kills her, he kills our Zelda, too. And the whole Triforce will be set off balance," I say. I leave out the part where I'm the part of the Triforce that represents balance.

"Lark? He talks sometimes. I mean, not very often, but he does talk. Does yours talk?"

"No," Midna says bluntly, appearing from behind Link. "The only time he opens his mouth is to eat or gasp," she smirks. I have to admit, that is very true. I look over Ookami closely. She wears a light pink shirt and a brown skirt with off-white leggings and brown boots. Her outfit looks really weird compared to the rest of us. Link's green tunic isn't so weird, and neither is my dark green cloak. She obviously wasn't looking to blend in with the rest of the population. Or the forest for that matter.

"What are you wearing?" I ask her. She looks down.

"A T-shirt and a skirt, why?" she asks.

"T-shirt? What's that?" I wonder. Girls rarely wear shirts around here. We usually wear dresses. For the first time ever, a Link speaks.

"She's from a different world," Dark Link explains quietly. Everyone but Ookami stares at him.

"Feeling talkative today, are we?" Midna teases. He seems to blush, but I can't really tell.

"A different world?" I ask.

"No time to explain, let's go," Lark murmurs, hopping onto his mysterious black horse. Ookami hops on with him, making it seem like a perfectly normal thing to do. Epona comes up behind me, and Link offers his hand. I smile at him and allow him to help me up. Link is a lot stronger than he seems. He seems like a normal, scrawny elf boy, but apparently that tunic is hiding some muscles. He gallops after Dark Link, who seems really lost. Light Link leads the way for us all.

"Where to next?" I ask them. They all just shrug. I shake my head. We hit a spot with a lot of rocks that Epona has to leap over. I hold onto Link even tighter. The poor guy probably won't be able to breathe after this. Saria used to tease me about how I could sleep in just about any situation. She was pretty right, though. One day, when we were in Kokiri Village, I fell asleep leaning against a tree while she was visiting her relatives. I didn't really mean to. It just… Happened. Leaning against Link makes me sleepy. He rarely moves around, and, on top of that, he smells like grass and woods. I sink into the familiarity of it all. My eyes begin to shut, and I'm asleep. I've had a long day.

Chapter 2

I wake up around noon, and I immediately realize that I'm not on Epona anymore. I'm propped against a tree with Link's blanket around me. I recognize it from somewhere, but I can't quite place it. Quiet chatter comes from nearby, and I can tell it's Midna and Ookami. I sit up, stretching. Link sits not far away, and smiles at me. That's the first time I've seen him smile. I realize my hood is down and quickly adjust it. Back to frowning again. I grin at him. Midna and Ookami come over to where I sit. Link walks off to care for Epona and Geno, Dark Link's horse.

"Hey there, sleepyhead," Ookami says. She sits down and plays with the grass. I look around. Everything seems picture perfect. This is one of the few trees in the field that we're in. A stream runs by where the horses are, and the grass is so bright it's magical.

"How did I get here?" I ask them, motioning to Link's blanket. Midna grins.

"Link lifted you off the horse and put the blanket around you. He was very gentle," she adds. I blush.

"That was nice of him," I murmur, standing up and stretching again. I pull my hood over my face further. "Anyone want to walk with me?" I ask them. Ookami offers to come along, but Midna stays to make sure the two Links don't fight. Somehow I doubt that they will.

"It's so pretty here," Ookami says, picking a perfect flower off of a tree.

"Yeah. This field is really nice," I agree. She looks at me.

"Not just the field, Miriam. Your world is so cool!" she laughs. I stare at her.

"Where exactly did you come from again?" I ask her.

"I came from the real world. I mean, you say your world is real here, but everything is so perfect and it's magical and stuff. In my world, you have to work to get money, not just break pots and cut grass. There's no princesses or evil rulers. Closest we ever come is high school," Ookami says. She laughs at her own joke, though I don't understand it. "We have to bathe every day and wear different clothes every day. You don't do things like that," she says. She looks at my totally confused face. "Don't think about it too much. It'll hurt your head."

"So you change clothes every single day?" I ask.

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Don't you run out of clothes to wear?"

"We wash them. And we don't make them by hand like you do. We buy them. It's really confusing, I know," she laughs.

"We buy ours, too. But the seller usually makes them, so I guess they're still handmade," I laugh.

"So what's it like in this realm? I was kidnapped by Ganondorf, but Dark Link saved me. I haven't been able to see much of it, honestly," she says. I try explaining how everything in our world is typically perfect, but she doesn't understand. At any rate, we wind up talking about totally random things. "Why do you keep that cloak over your head?" she asks.

"I don't like to reveal myself to strangers," I say honestly. "And it keeps me warm. The forest can get pretty cold at night. Since it's usually foggyin the forest, this keeps most people from seeing me when I'm walking."

"That's all nice, but we're not really strangers anymore. You can take it off, you know," she reminds me. I nod, but don't take off my cloak. There's silence for a little while, and then she speaks up again.

"You're the middle piece of the Triforce, right?" she inquires. I look at her, alarmed. "Midna filled me in."

"Yes, I'm the middle piece," I say.

"Since the other Triforce members have a dark version of them… Do you think you have a dark version?" she questions. Now that she mentions it, she's probably right.

"I don't know," I admit. "Is Dark Link much different than Link? I mean, other than the fact that he talks a little more?" I ask her. She shrugs.

"I don't really know your Link very well, but I believe they're very much alike. They both have the Triforce of courage, you know," she points out. I nod. We start on our way back, and I keep thinking whether or not there's a dark side to me. I can't imagine that there is. I wonder what I would be like. We make it to the tree, and practically nothing has changed. Midna's napping against the tree, and both Links are washing their horses. It's a little freaky to watch. They practically mirror each other. Ookami tries to help them, but Dark Link pushes her away. She doesn't seem the least bit hurt.

"That was rude," I frown.

"He does that all the time," Ookami laughs. The two finish up washing their horses and put all the horse stuff on. Like I said: I'm really not good with horses. Link tosses me an apple to eat. I wipe it off with my cloak and eat it. It tastes great. As Ookami and I are eating, we look over at the castle. It's wrapped in darkness. Clouds cover it, and a mysterious orange glow envelops it. "Does it always look like that?" Ookami asks.

"No. Only when Ganon is in power," I say. "Somewhere out there, there's a Dark Ganondorf," I say, shivering. Midna and Dark Link simultaneously snort in laughter. I look at them. "What's so funny?" I ask them. Midna grins.

"You don't seem to understand. 'Dark Ganondorf' is nothing like yours. And I do mean NOTHING like yours. He's practically the Great Fairy! We all hate him," Midna says, reclining against her tree.

"Then why don't we trade…?" I mumble to myself. We start back out on the road. "Hey guys, did any of you think about how we're going to get past the orange thing?" I ask them. None of them respond. "Great," I sigh. I hear Ookami murmur something like 'just like twilight princess', but I pass it off as nothing. "Link, what are we going to do?" I ask him. He doesn't say anything, but he looks back at me, his face just a little worried. I smile at him and hold on tighter. Then I realize that we're going to have to go through the mountains and over the river to actually make it to Hyrule Castle. This will definitely take a while… We get to the base of the mountains. It's a lot hotter here than I thought it would be. I've never seen a Goron up close, but this time I will. They're huge-gigantic. And they seem to know Link very well. Epona gets antsy around them.

"Brother Link! You have returned!" one of the Gorons says. "Big Goron hug!" he says. Several Gorons begin to circle Link with their arms outstretched. He looks horribly afraid. So much for that Triforce of courage.

"No Goron hugs today," I laugh, stepping up to them. They stare at me rather blankly.

"Who friend, brother?" the first Goron asks Link. Midna pops out and explains the whole thing to the Gorons. They agree to help us out with our travels through the mountains. They reveal that the mountains are actually old volcanoes that could burst at any moment. This shakes most of us up, but Midna seems unfazed. She could probably float away if she wanted to. One of them offers us a place to stay. He leads us to a very large room with a lot of beds. "I'll be in other room, brother. Don't worry about horse. I take care of them," the Goron says, pushing the giant rock door closed.

"We're trapped in," Ookami says. I try the door. It won't budge. The rock is too heavy for any normal human or elf.

"Let Link try. He has those fancy bracelet things that the Gorons gave him a while back," Midna says. Link slips the power bracelets on (he could lift me off of Epona without those!?) and easily opens the door.

"Okay, we're not trapped in as long as Link is here," Ookami giggles. I poke one of the beds. It's exactly as I thought. The beds are made of rock.

"I think the ground would be more comfortable," I tell them. "The beds are made of rocks. We can use the blankets, though," I say, pulling the fluffy blankets from one of the beds. They're very thick, and seem to be made of some sort of feather material. "I guess the Gorons like to keep warm," I say. Ookami and I make beds out of the blankets for all of us. Midna doesn't need one, since she usually floats in the air when she sleeps anyway. We sit up talking for the most part. Well, Midna and Ookami do. Dark Link sits in a dark corner. I sit next to Link. "Do you ever get scared?" I ask him. He nods. "But you have the Triforce of courage," I point out. He shrugs. "I guess it's normal to get scared. Especially since you have Ganondorf to consider. He's one ugly man. I wonder if he smells like bacon…" I murmur, realizing that he may, you know, since he can turn into a pig. I hear Midna cough to hide her laughter.

"He doesn't smell like bacon. Just bad breath," she says. The rest of us snicker quietly. Midna lets out a small yawn and floats over to a corner of the room. "Good night," she mumbles. Ookami goes to bed next. The little blonde seems pretty peaceful in her sleep. Dark Link creeps out of the shadows to take up a spot next to her. He seems oddly protective of her. I can't blame him. After rescuing the poor girl, he has to be. Link and I are the only two left awake. I look at him.

"Why won't you talk?" I ask him. He looks down, not saying anything, as usual. I feel guilty asking that question. "I'm sorry." Silence. "Link, do you like it better when I don't wear my cloak?" I ask him. He smiles at me. I smile back and let the hood of my cloak rest on my back. I pull my hair out from under it. It falls down to my waist, as usual. "That better?" I ask him. He seems really happy and contented with it. Link's dirty blonde hair falls a little into his eyes. I frown and brush it aside, thinking nothing of it. Link stares at me, alarmed. I blush. "Oops. Sorry. It was bugging me," I giggle quietly. Link puts it back and I brush it aside again. It becomes a game of who can annoy the other more. I slide my hood back over my face and he pushes it off. He shakes his head so all his hair is in his eyes and I swipe it back. It sends the two of us into silent giggle fits. We can't waken the others. Finally, the two of us yawn.

"We'd better get to bed," I suggest. Link nods. We take up the last two spots on the floor. I sleep between Ookami and Link and fall right to sleep. Who would have thought the Gorons could make such soft pillows?

»•§•«

I'm awoken once again to the sound of more talking. Midna and Lark are arranging our leave. Ookami walks over to me and sits down. I left my hood on all night and still have it pulled over my eyes.

"You should really take that thing off. It's bugging Link," she says.

"You mean Dark Link?"

"No, I mean Link" she states.

"And how would you know?"

"He told me himself," she says proudly.

"Link _SPOKE!?"_I can't help but cry out. The others look at me. Ookami bursts into fits of laughter like this is the funniest thing in Hyrule. If she wants to see real hilarity, she should just talk to the fairy man, Tingle…

"No, but I wanted to see your reaction! People in this world have the funniest reactions, you know…" she giggles. I glare at her and walk into the bathroom (that I seemed to have missed before). Link shuts the door for me (it's another heavy rock door). I take my hairbrush out and take my cloak off. I look in the very large mirror. I'm wearing a kind of shirt that has another cloak on the back of it. So really, if I lost my green cloak, I could just wear that one instead. But I don't want to. My entire outfit is a dark blue color. My skirt and my shirt are rimmed with gold. My leggings are white with gold on them. My gloves are brown, much like Link's, though mine do not have the Triforce on them. I pull off my left glove, wondering if there's a Triforce on it. I look really closely, and realize that there's a faint outline of one. Why I've never noticed it, I don't know. I pull my glove back on and brush my hair. A loud knock on the door interrupts me. Link obviously isn't the one knocking.

"Hurry up in there!" I hear Ookami faintly from behind the rock door. I pull my cloak back over my head and sigh.

"Okay, you can open the door," I shout. Nothing happens. The door handle is jiggled slightly, but it's stuck. I stare at it.

"Uh, no need to panic, Miriam! We'll get it open!" Ookami yells through the door. I hear Midna say "Ready… Set… PUSH!" and nothing happens.

"Did Link put on the gauntlets?" I shout.

"Yeah!"

"The door is stuck?"

"Yeah…"

"Oh, for the love of Nayru!" I cry out. I glare at the door handle. Something inside of me pulls. And since I'm alone in a bathroom, I allow myself to hold out my hand. The magic pulls on me. "Step back!" I yell. I hope they heard me. I close my eyes and concentrate on that feeling. Then, I release it. The door explodes. I use my cloak to shield from the dust. I can hear the others coughing on the other side. "It worked!" I grin.

"Congratulations, Miriam. You learned how to open a door," Midna teases. Link, Dark Link, and Ookami were knocked onto their backs. Lark and Link have the exact same expression.

"What the…?" Dark Link lets out. I shrug.

"I dunno. Link, fix the door and let's go," I tell him. He gets up, brushing himself off, and lifts the door to its hinges. I brush off my cloak and make the beds. Once we're all packed and ready, we say good-bye to the Goron. We've left Epona and Geno with the Gorons, allowing them to help them up the pass in a shorter time. Since they seem to know their way around here, we figured it would be easier for them to lead the horses and for us to find our way through the mountains. Link leads the way. I stay close to him. I've never really been fond of heat. Ookami and Dark Link follow close behind us. I fidget uncomfortably under my cloak.

"You could take that off," Dark Link says. I glare at him.

"Or I could leave it on," I snap. All the heat has gotten me very crabby. And tired, apparently. I feel like a total lead foot, and the occasional wind geysers aren't helping. They carry hot air and burst out at random. Link looks at me. Midna floats out from his shadow.

"He could carry you, you know," she grins. I shake my head. That would be awkward. She rolls her eyes. "My goddess, he's already lifted you from a horse and wrapped you in a blanket. What other sign of affection do you need!?" Midna sighs. I frown.

"He should talk," I say. I don't know what in Farore's name made me say this, but it all tumbled out. And I'm not about to take it back. Midna glares at me rather threateningly. I stare back. "Well, if he likes a girl, he should speak." The two of us have totally forgotten about Link, whose entire face is a brilliant shade of red.

"That's not entirely true. You see, you don't understand Link. He just won't speak. Not a single word. I've never heard a word out of him," she growls. I frown.

"So? He's not mute. I don't understand why he won't speak."

"He doesn't express himself easily through words!"

"And you would know this how…?"

"Ugh! You Triforce members are a pain!" Midna retorts, making herself Link's shadow. I still walk, seething with rage. I pull my green cloak over my head more. I walk with my head down and simply follow Link. Link seems to have been somewhat thrown off by our little mêlée. At any rate, we'll need to finish this journey if we're to save the princess. And after we do, I can live my own life without Link messing with my feelings.

Chapter 3

I hate rocks. They're everywhere. They're bumpy. They hurt my feet. Why haven't the Gorons just eaten them yet? One of the geysers barely misses me and whips my cloak around me.

"So that's what you're wearing…" Ookami says. I turn and glare at her. She sighs wearily. The other three seem to be a little tired of the silence. Ookami and Dark Link make conversation behind us. _I wish I could actually talk to Link…_ I think. I get a sudden idea that sends me reaching into my pockets. I pull out a piece of paper and a pencil. I hand it to Link. He stares at me, confused.

"For when you want to say something," I smile. "You do know how to write, don't you?" I ask him. He nods. "Good. Use it when you need to." We go on walking. Around noon, we stop to rest. I sit with my back against a rock. There doesn't seem to be any heat geysers around here. A pad of paper lands in my lap. I look up. Link looks down from the top of the rock and waves. I read the paper. The handwriting is so much like mine it's a little scary. He makes his A's funny, though. _He's always done that. _How did I know that!?

_Thank you,_ it reads. I grin.

"You know, even when you write you don't say much," I tease. He leaps down next to me and takes the paper and pencil. He scribbles something on it.

_I know._ I laugh. He's only said four words to me on this whole journey, and they weren't even spoken. They were written on a pad of paper. I decide to write back to him. _You hungry? _I write.

_Not really._ He answers. I sigh.

_Will you write more than two words?_

_ No._

_ Why not?_

_ Because._

_ Give me a real reason._

_ You're cute when you're frustrated. _This is the most he's said to me this entire time. And it's the one line that causes me to blush furiously. I can't even meet his eyes this time.

_Very funny, mister. Now let's eat._ I write to him. I toss the pad into his lap and get up. I walk over to Ookami, Midna, and Dark Link. They're all eating apples and laughing. I steal a green apple from the pile and wipe it off with my cloak. Link picks up a green one, too. _He's always liked those the best._ I shove the thought from my mind.

"You like green apples the most?" I ask him. He nods. I bite into it. It's sour, but it tastes great. I sit down with the others. "So, where are we heading?" I ask. Midna groans. I stare at her. "Listen Midna, I'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have said any of that. You know Link better than I do." I don't mention the pad of paper. Midna grins.

"Apology accepted," she says. "Now, we're going to go southeast for as long as we can. From there, we'll find the Zora's Domain." Next to me, Ookami gasps.

"What?" I ask her. She shakes her head.

"I just never thought I'd be able to see Zora's Domain up close," she says excitedly. We shake our heads at her. It will be my first time at Zora's Domain, too. I don't think it's much more special than this place, though. We finish our apples and begin to go on our way. A weird sound alarms me. It's hard to describe. It's almost like it's a lot of short sounds, but they hurt my ears. Fear builds up inside me. I put my hand on Link's arm. He draws his sword. Out of nowhere, a freaky looking beast comes flying in from the sky.

"Shadow beast!" Midna shrieks. "Link, wolf form-now!" she shouts. Link looks at me, then my arm. I let go of him, and he transforms into a wolf. He is a very, very, _very_ large wolf. Midna hops on his back. He takes one last look at me and charges at the Shadow beast. Another two come flying down.

"Watch out behind you!" I yell out. Link battles the three for a long while. He seems to be getting tired, but not doing any damage to the Shadow beasts. One of them comes up behind him and smacks him. He lays, unconscious. "No!" I yell, unsheathing my sword. All I can think of is how to stop those stupid monsters. I unhook my cloak and charge after them, leaving the dark green cloth in the dust. The first Shadow beast comes charging after me, but I kick it down in midair. "Oh no you don't!" I yell. As it's lying on the ground, I stab it from the neck and drag the sword down until it disappears in thin air. From the corner of my eye, I can see Ookami pouring water on Link. He wakes up and shakes himself. I don't see the rest, because another Shadow beast comes charging at me. I jump and hit it in midair. Link rushes in to finish it off. I notice that he's bleeding from one of his arms. I'll have to deal with that later.

"Behind you!" Ookami yells out. I flip around, kicking another Shadow beast down. It has an arrow protruding from it. I look at Ookami. Her bow and arrows are sitting out. Apparently they had no effect on the Shadow beasts. I stick my sword into the Shadow beast. Link comes to finish it off. All three of the Shadow beasts are finally dead. I look around, making sure there aren't any more. Link transforms into a human again. I gather up my dusty cloak and begin to pull it over me again. A hand snatches it away from me. Link holds it over a cliff.

"You wouldn't dare…"I glare at him. He grins back. "Alright, fine. I won't wear my cloak. And I'll even put it in my bag if you-" I'm cut off by a scream. A Shadow beast has gotten hold of Ookami. "OOKAMI!" I scream.

"Help!" She shouts back. The Shadow beast squeezes her until she passes out. Dark Link tries to stab the beast with his sword, but it doesn't affect him. I make eye contact with Link and we both nod. He unsheathes his sword and we run to rescue Ookami. I kick the Shadow beast down, filled with rage. Link stabs it relentlessly. Dark Link catches Ookami and lays her on the ground. I dash over to Ookami.

"Ookami…" Dark Link whispers, touching her cheek ever so gently.

"Wake up!" I cry. I realize that there's a large wound on her neck. "She's hurt," I say. I look around hopelessly, wondering if there's something I can do. Midna whispers something to Link, and he seems to agree.

"Miriam, how well can you play the ocarina?" Midna asks. I stare at her.

"As well as any other forest elf," I tell her. I don't see how this is going to help Ookami.

"You know the song of healing?" she asks. I sigh.

"Yes," I answer.

"Good," she snatches Link's blue ocarina from his pouch and hands it to me. "Play it." She says. I stare at her. "Just do it!" She snaps. I'm tempted to wipe off the ocarina first, but then I realize that it's just Link. It'll be fine. I begin to play it. Link sits down next to Ookami. I sit down next to him, continuing the song. Link opens his mouth, and I can't help but gasp, making the ocarina squeak. He glances at me for a moment, but I continue the song. He opens his mouth again and begins to sing.

"_Day to night, dark to light,  
Fall the sands of time.  
Let the years like the gears  
Of a clock unwind  
In your mind walk through time  
Back to better days.  
Memories, like a dream,  
Wash tears away.  
Like a star in the sky,  
Darkness can't reach you  
Light the night, joy is light,  
Till the new dawn.  
Cast away your old face  
Let go your spite,  
With this task I'll ask  
To borrow your light" _Ookami's wound has healed, and more miraculously, _Link has spoken._ It sounded almost like I've heard it before. I stare at him. He stares back, blushing ever so slightly. I can't help but beam at him. Dark Link coughs, but I really don't notice, because I'm too busy hugging Link. He lets out a gasp, but hugs back.

"Aw!" Midna lets out. We quickly back away from each other, though I still can't hold in my excitement. _Link talked. Link sang!_ Ookami coughs, sitting up. Dark Link helps her up. She shakes her head.

"What did I miss?" she asks hoarsely. We all laugh.

"A lot!" I tell her, patting her arm.

"Like what?" she asks.

"However will you forgive yourself…?" I wonder aloud.

"What do you mean!?" Ookami whines. It's rather funny watching her get flustered.

"Link _sang,_" I tease. Her mouth drops open.

"No he didn't," she says, refusing to believe me.

"Okay, believe what you want, but it's true," I grin, looking at Link. She looks over at Link for confirmation. He nods. She looks at Lark. He nods too. She stares at us like a fish. "Close your mouth, you'll let the flies in," I say, standing up.

"And look at you. I like your outfit," Ookami says. I look at my outfit again. It's really not all that remarkable-it's the same as usual. Just my dark blue and gold.

"It's really not that interesting…" I say, scratching my head. "Now, let's get going," I say, helping Link and Ookami up. "I want to get out of this mountain as soon as I possibly can." Although, it's a lot less hot with my cloak gone. Link seems happy now that I've stashed my cloak in the far corners of my bag. With Link, though, you can never tell. Ookami, Dark Link, and Midna trail behind us. "You have a really amazing voice, you know," I tell him. I can see his face turn a little red. "Why can't you speak now? We've heard your voice, Link. There's nothing to be afraid of," I tell him. He shakes his head. I sigh. "You know I could put that cloak back on…" I say. He starts scrambling for the notepad and pencil and rapidly writes something down.

_No! Not the cloak!_ He writes. I laugh. "Okay, not the cloak. At least give me a reason to why you won't talk," I say. He takes a deep breath, seeming to ponder the question. At last, he starts to write something else. It takes a long while for him to write it.

_Well, if you've ever heard of the two potion making sisters, Koume and Kotake, you'll know that they raised Ganondorf. He found out about me being the Hero of Time when I was too young to even speak yet, and he used the two to curse me, threatening to take their powers away if they did not. They took away my speech, and I could make sounds, but no real words. After I defeated Ganon a few weeks ago, the twins lifted the curse. I can talk, but I still have trouble getting used to the fact that I can. _

I stare at him, bewildered. I never knew he was cursed like that. "I-I'm sorry," I murmur. He writes something else.

_It's not like I'm sensitive to the topic or anything. You didn't do anything to offend me._ I smile.

"Well, at least I know you can talk now. And obviously, you can sing," I tease. Link blushes, saying nothing. I look ahead, seeing a brown object hurtling towards us.

"Watch out!" Dark Link yells. Link grabs me by the wrist and presses me between him and the rock wall. We wait until the tumbling object is gone.

"What was that?" Ookami asks.

"Goron," Dark Link answers. Link and Midna nod. "They like to come down the mountains like that. It's faster that way," he explains.

"They should be more careful…" Ookami murmurs.

"They usually don't have to worry about humans-just other Gorons," Midna tells her. I shake my head. No Deku or forest elf would be in their right minds to do something like that. Then again, no Deku or forest elf would be able to do that. I turn to Link.

"Thanks," I smile. He blushes again. We walk until our feet hurt like crazy, and by then, we're almost out of the mountains. "Where are we staying tonight?" I ask them. Midna looks around.

"Let's split up and find shelter," she suggests. Midna and Dark Link go together, Link goes alone, and Ookami and I are left to look together. Ironically, we're the only two people who don't know much about the area. It's already starting to cool off, so I pull my cloak over my shoulders.

"Link isn't going to like that, you know," Ookami teases. I smirk.

"Well, it's too cold out here, and it's not like I'm pulling it over my eyes or anything," I point out. She nods, but I can tell that she doesn't agree. We look around, trying to find a suitable place to stay, but it's getting darker out, and harder to see.

"Can't you use your magic or something?" Ookami suggests. I haven't thought of that all day.

"I don't really know how to use it. I assume it's like Ganondorf's-I can blow things up. But I don't know if I have magic like Zelda does," I admit. It would make sense, of course, that I would have a power of the Triforce. I don't see why I find it so alarming, either.

"Try it," Ookami says. I stick out my hand. Nothing happens. She puts her hands on her hips. "No, I mean _really_ try to use it. Don't just stick out your arm. Think of how you felt earlier and try to use it," she says.

"Oh, and suddenly you're the expert on magic?" I say sarcastically. Ookami ignores me.

"Just try," she says. I remember what I felt earlier-panic. I felt fearful. I try to feel that again, but nothing happens. I suppose being trapped in a bathroom is much more pressing than this.

"We'll try in the morning. We've all had a long day, so let's see if the others have found anything," I suggest. Ookami seems to agree, although all I get from her is a yawn. We head back to our agreed upon meet-up and wait for the others.

"So. Do you think Link likes you?" Ookami asks. I stare at her.

"Really? Do you want my honest answer?" I ask her, pretending to be excited.

"Yes!" she giggles.

"No. He likes Zelda," I say flatly.

"What makes you believe that?" she asks.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe the fact that every five seconds he has to go out and save her. Why can't someone else save her? You know? I just don't think that someone would save the princess that many times if they don't like her," I answer.

"Well, she _is_ the princess, and so the whole kingdom is counting on him. He did it once before, so they count on him again and again. Maybe it's just sort of forced upon him. No one else is willing to go up against Ganondorf, so who better than to go up against him than the Triforce of Courage?" she points out. I nod.

"Well, at any rate, we won't see each other again after this, so it really doesn't matter," I yawn, stretching. Midna and Dark Link come walking and floating towards us.

"We found a cave nearby. It should be big enough to fit all of us, and there isn't anything in it," Dark Link says quietly. Ookami lights up when he speaks. I want to say something, but I keep my mouth shut.

"Well, we're just waiting on Link now," I tell them. Link comes walking over. "Midna and Dark Link found a cave. Got anything better?" I ask him. He shakes his head, so we follow Midna to the cave. It's pretty frosty inside, so I wrap my cloak around me tighter. I feel a tug at the cloak. I look over. Link frowns at me. I laugh. "It's to keep me warm. It's pretty cold in here," I say, my words echoing off the walls.

"You know you two could cuddle," Midna says back to us. I look at the ground to hide my redness. We all settle down for the night, and I hand everyone some food. I talk with Ookami for a while, then we all get to bed.

Chapter 4

_"Get the boy, bring him to me or die. Gather the Triforce members or you shall not live," a voice says. I look around, not sure where it's coming from. "You must hurry, though, or one of your precious members will die."_

_ "Who are you?" I ask. But I can already tell who it is. The darkness around me is clearing up, and I can see Dark Zelda laid across a table, unconscious. Ganondorf stands over her. _

_ "You'll feel a lot more of this pain," he says, moving his hand towards Dark Zelda._

_ "No!" I scream. _

I'm awoken by my own screams. Pain wracks my body. My head to my toes are searing with the worst pain possible. It's like there's a fire in my lungs and knives are digging their way out of my skin. My veins feel like they're popping, and my stomach twists and turns. My head pounds and the blood rushes to it. I try to get up-to get away from it, but I can only manage to sit up.

"STOP!" I scream out. My legs feel like there's a thousand pounds sitting on them. My eyes burn and I can't see anything. "Please…" I say weakly, ready to pass out. Just as soon as it started, it stops. My body feels like it can't move a single muscle, and I begin to fall back down. Something catches me before my head hits the rock floor. I hear murmurs around me.

"What's wrong with her?" "Is she going to be okay?" "Does this always happen?" "It looked so painful". I can't tell who the voices are from, but all I know is that I'm getting very warm. I fall in and out of sleep until I finally awaken. I sit up, feeling a little dizzy and weak, but so much better than before. Someone puts their hands on my back and shoulder, forcing me to lie back down. I look over, the spots clearing from my eyes. Link stares at me, his face filled with worry.

"Is she awake?" Ookami asks. I look over at her. She hands me a jar filled with water. I drink it hastily.

"I'm okay," I croak. Midna floats by, careless as usual.

"He touched her, didn't he?" she asks. I nod.

"I could see him in my dreams. He was threatening to touch her. I screamed, but he touched her anyway. It felt like it lasted forever," I admit. I hand the jar back to Ookami and quickly unfasten my cloak. It's gotten a lot warmer.

"Will you be able to walk?" Midna asks. I nod.

"Just give me a few minutes and I'll be okay. It's always like this," I say. I look over at Link. He's holding his arm. "Oh, no! Your arm… I totally forgot about that. You hurt it yesterday while battling the Shadow beast, didn't you?" I ask him. He nods. "Ookami, will you get some of the white cloth in my bag and some water?" I instruct. She starts to complain, but thinks better of it. She hands me the cloth and the water. I pour some of the water on Link's shoulder. "This is going to hurt a bit," I warn him. I dab around the wound with the cloth, and he winces. "I'm sorry. It's not too deep, though," I convince him. I wrap it up in the cloth and start to stand up. He offers to help me. "No, I'm not the wounded one here, you are," I tease. He shakes his head. I use the cave wall to help myself up. I'm feeling better rather quickly-as usual. The pain is always immense, but it always stops and goes away quickly.

"The horses should be waiting for us outside the mountains. We'll be next to Zora's Domain soon," Ookami informs us excitedly. It's like we didn't already know that. I toss my cloak in my bag and start walking out of the cave. At first I'm a little wobbly, but with a little help from Ookami and Link, I'm walking much more smoothly. It's hot outside, like it usually is with the Gorons. We begin to walk rather hastily-none of us want to stay here for much longer. Then I remember: _I can't swim._ And we just happen to be going to one of the largest bodies of water in all of Hyrule.

"Uh, guys? I can't swim…" I tell them. Ookami giggles, Midna and Dark Link sigh, and Link, as usual, says nothing.

"Well it's a good time to learn, then," Ookami says cheerfully. Somehow I doubt it. The best swimmers in Kokiri couldn't teach me how to swim. I tried to teach myself, but for some reason, I just panic when I'm in the water. _And on top of that, whenever I panic, my magic tends to act up,_ I think. Trying to erase these thoughts from my mind, I walk a little more quickly. I look back at the others, who seem to be lagging behind. Link gives me a funny look.

"What?" I ask him. He writes something down.

_Why are you so worried about swimming? You've got all of us here to keep you safe._ It reads. I sigh.

"I guess I'm just a little worried, that's all. Being in the water always makes me panic. It feels like I know I'll drown," I tell him.

_Don't think of it that way. Just don't think at all when you're swimming. You'll do just fine._

"Thanks," I murmur, smiling at him. I hope he's right. I'll try to take his advice, but it probably won't do me any good. I can climb through mountains and walk through the woods silently, but swimming has always been at the bottom of my to-do list. We reach the end of the mountains, where a sleeping Goron awaits us with the horses. Epona seems quite glad to get away from the Gorons.

_She's never liked the Gorons._ Link writes. We leave a note for the Goron and head out across a field. Several Bulblins try to attack, but Ookami and I shoot them down. Being back on Epona is a nice feeling, even though I'm not great with horses, I do like riding them. The Gorons seem to have taken great care of Epona-she's clean and seems to be fatter than she was when we came.

"How are we going to get the horses across the domain?" I yell back.

"They'll have to go around," Dark Link answers. I sigh. _Why can't we go around?_ I think to myself. I really don't like water. Across from the field, we start to see a few glimmers of water. Link slows Epona down to a trot when we get near. Midna begins to talk to a Zora and explains our situation. The Zora is tall and lean, and really shiny. I've never seen one up close, but I didn't realize they were that tall. The Zora agrees to take the horses past the river with him. One of the Zoras comes out and convinces us that Prince Ralis is dying to meet us. Unhappily, Midna agrees. They lead us up to a waterfall, where they tell each of us to get on their backs. I stare.

"No," I say out loud. I cover my mouth. I really didn't mean to say that-it just came out. The Zora sighs and motions to a large cliff. I suppose they mean I could climb it? That would take hours, and we're kind of in a rush. So I agree to try. Ookami takes off her leggings, and so do I. I unhook my cloak from my shirt and take off my shoes. Link and Dark Link don't do anything. Ookami hops in first. She swims like a fish. She has clearly practiced this in whatever world she's from. I figure Midna will either float up or hitch a ride as Link's shadow. Link and Dark Link, I figure, are pretty good at this already. Finally, it's my turn to go. I awkwardly sit at the edge of the lake. I would have been perfectly content if I knew that was all the swimming I had to do. But it wasn't. The Zora is extremely gentle and helps me get into the freezing cold water. I shiver, and I can practically feel my lips turning blue.

"Sorry it's a bit cold," the Zora says.

"I-it's o-okay," I stutter, my teeth chattering involuntarily. I hold tightly to his neck like I'm instructed to.

"Since it is your first time doing this, you may want to shut your eyes. They're probably not adjusted to this water, and you won't want them stinging," he suggests. I nod. I don't need to be told twice. "Alright, here we go!" he says. It's like I'm getting launched off of the ground and into the air. Except this air is soaking wet and freezing cold. The Zora is fast, so it only takes a few seconds. He helps me up onto a ledge and goes back down the waterfall. Ookami wraps a blanket around my shoulders.

"That w-water was f-freezing," she chatters. I laugh. I'm glad I'm not the only one who felt that way. "S-see? It wasn't th-that bad!" she says, trying to make me feel better.

"Y-yes, but I s-still can't s-swim," I stutter back. Dark Link makes his way up the waterfall. He seems to really hate the fact that he's soaked.

"He hates b-being cold," Ookami whispers. I giggle. "Your lips are blue!" she laughs. I cover my mouth with my hands.

"C-can't blame me!" I say. Link makes his way up the waterfall. He doesn't seem the least bit cold. I envy him for that. One of the Zora's beckons for us to follow him, so we do. He leads us into a cave-like place. This must be the Domain. Everything is blue and wet. It's so shiny here. The walls glitter with scales, the floor sparkles, and there's even a pool of water in the middle. I look into the pool. It seems very, very deep. I can't even see the bottom of it. I start to slip, but someone catches me. I look over, expecting Link or Ookami. Dark Link's red eyes stare back at me. I blink, rather shocked. "Th-thanks," I murmur.

"Couldn't have just let you fall," he points out. "Link would have never forgiven me." I'm not really sure if that was a failed attempt at a joke, or if he's actually making a point. I don't have to react, though, because someone comes over to greet us.

"Welcome, travelers," the boy says. I stare at him. The Zora prince is exactly as people say he is. He's short and skinny-just like any other Zora kid. Apparently he's very attractive for a Zora, though I wouldn't know, because I don't find any of them attractive. "I wasn't expecting anyone more than Link and Midna, honestly. But welcome, and we'll put up beds for the rest of you," he smiles. I noticed Link bowing, so I nudge Ookami, and we bow too. "No need for that. You're about to save us all from Ganondorf's wrath," he reminds us, shivering.

"Thank you for your hospitality, sire," I say rather quietly.

"Oh, yes, another traveler… Who exactly are all of you?" Prince Ralis asks.

"I'm Miriam, this is Ookami, Dark Link, and you already know Link and Midna. We are grateful for everything," I say. Somehow I doubt anyone else is going to be brave enough to talk.

"Thank you, Miss Miriam. You must all be exhausted. I'll have my servants show you to your rooms," the prince says. One of the other Zoras starts to lead us away.

"It's not even the afternoon…" Ookami whispers. I shrug and follow the Zora. He leads us to a room with several beds set up and (no surprise) a small pool of water off to the side.

"Please feel free to explore all of the domain," the Zora says, shutting the door with us inside. We look at each other. Midna floats over to one of the beds and pokes it.

"Ooh! It's a water bed!" she grins. I look over at the pool.

"I call this bed," I say, rushing over to the bed furthest from the pool. Ookami catches on.

"Oh, you just don't want to be near the water," she teases. I nod. "Well, I think we should get some practice in right now," she suggests. I shake my head. The pool seems rather large, and it's deep enough that no one would find my body…

"I think Ookami's right," Dark Link says. I'm rather shocked by this, really. I stare at him. "It's the perfect opportunity for you to learn how to swim. All of us will be with you, and we won't let you drown," he says. Another few minutes later, and I'm in the miniature lake with Link holding me up and Ookami trying to teach me how to swim. She makes it seem so easy. Dark Link sits on the side with Midna, watching us.

"Watch what I do," Ookami says for the fifteenth time. She kicks the water into my face, causing me to flail around in panic. Ookami floats around for a moment, her hands on her hips. She seems to want to give up on me. "Link, let go of her," she says. As soon as the words are out of her mouth, I'm splashing around in the water. She calms me down. "He didn't even let go," she says. "Try to relax a little, Miriam," she says, suddenly back floating. I try to breathe in steadily and keep my calm. I push myself away from Link and scramble towards the edge of the water. Ookami sits on the edge next to me.

"I really don't want to do this, Ookami," I whine. She frowns.

"Do it anyway," she tells me. Link sits on the edge of the pool next to her. "Now, breathe nice and slowly and relax. This isn't a trap, it's just water." I breathe in like she says to, and try to calm down. "Now, let go of the edge and let yourself float away from it," she instructs calmly. I close my eyes and push off the edge, doing everything in my power to float.

"I'm doing it!" I laugh. The break in the calm sends my flailing around again. This time, I'm too far from the edge and there's no one I can hold onto. Absolute fear fills my lungs and spreads to my entire body. I can't think straight. An oddly familiar feeling creeps up inside of me. I pray that there's no one in the pool and allow it to be released. In no time at all, I'm shot against the wall and sitting along the pool's edge. My back aches from the impact.

"You really need to learn how to control that thing," Midna tells me. I sigh, ignoring her. "Your magic seems to be activated when you panic. You should try to release it when you're not panicking," she says. I'm really, truly exhausted. The magic has worn me out, along with the swimming, and today's morning crisis of pain. I sigh, barely strong enough to get up. Ookami wraps a towel around me.

"You were doing great, until you got excited," she says. I nod. She leads me over to the bed furthest from the pool. I sit down, and even though I'm sick and tired of water already, I start to curl up. "We'll wake you up in an hour or so," Ookami says gently. I nod, yawning. I hear Dark Link, Ookami, and Midna exit the room. I can tell Link's still here, I can hear a few faint footsteps, but I'm too tired to think about it too much. I fall right to sleep.

_"That's right, you fool, bring the others right to me…" Ganondorf's voice says. The sound of it makes me shiver. "Do I scare you, girl? I thought you were the center of the Triforce. You crave wisdom, courage, and power. Don't you want that power? I can give you that power. Bring the others to me and the pain stops," Ganondorf says, his voice laced with an icy tone. _

_ "No! I'll never do anything to hurt them," I spit back at him. _

_ "Then you'll feel the pain again," he grins eerily, showing his white teeth. I glare at him. _

_ "I'd rather feel that pain a thousand times over than to give up my friends," I tell him. He frowns. _

_ "Then you won't mind THIS!" his voice thunders out, but I can barely hear it over the pain. _

Something shakes me awake, but the pain remains. I hold in my screams, hoping it will just go away if I don't scream. But it doesn't lessen. The pain sends shocks through my body, electric currents zapping every corner. My eyes sting with the pain, my head pounds, and I can hear my heartbeat quickening. A gloved hand fits around mine, and I take it, squeezing it tightly. I try not to hurt the person, but I probably don't succeed. The electric currents run down my body, stronger and stronger until I finally let out a scream of agony. It feels like electric knives are trying to fight their way out of my body, I feel like I'm getting stabbed over and over again. I feel sick to my stomach. Finally, the pain washes away. I gasp for air, glad that the pain is away. I look over to my left. Link sits next to me in a chair, his face full of worry.

"He… He touched her again," I tremble. He frowns. I start to get up, out of bed, but collapse. Link catches me and scoops me up like it's no big deal. He puts me back onto the bed. I lay there, trying to recover what's left of my energy. The nap helped a bit, but this has drained the energy right back out of me. Link holds me up while I drink a bit of water. "Did I hurt you?" I ask him, motioning to his hand. He shakes his head. I sip the water a little more, regaining my energy. He starts to write something down.

_What did he want? _I scowl, not sure whether to tell him or not.

"N-nothing…" I murmur. Link sees right through me and underlines his last sentence. I sigh, not wanting to say the words out loud. If I do, they'll become true. I sit up, propping myself against the wall, and take a deep breath. "He wants all of the Triforce members. He wants me to bring you to him. Ganondorf knows that we're all working together. I told him no, that I'd rather feel that pain a thousand times than to give up everyone, and so he touched Dark Zelda," I explain. Link gets up and starts pacing. I watch him, noticing that there are lines of worry written all over his face. "Don't worry about it. We'll go to the castle and defeat Ganondorf once again," I tell him. He scribbles on the paper.

_We can't do that. If three of the Triforce members touch each other at one time, your heart will stop._ I stare at the words. The thought had crossed my mind before, but I never wanted to admit it.

"How did you know that?" I ask him.

_That's not important. We need to figure out a way to get in there without the Triforce members._

"Yes, but the only people we have are Ookami and Midna. And I suppose you could count me," I say. "It won't hurt if he touches me." I think back to when Link has helped me onto Epona or when he sat, holding my hand just a few moments ago. The pain was not there. "We'll figure this out later-when the others are with us," I tell him. Link doesn't seem completely happy with this idea, but it keeps him from worrying too much. I look at him. I can tell he's tired by the lines under his eyes. "Get some sleep," I instruct him.

_What if you get hurt again? _He writes.

"Then my screams will wake you up. Now let's get some sleep," I murmur, though I'm a bit scared at what will happen when I do. I try to wash it away from my mind as I curl up and rest.

Chapter 5

I wake up on my own this time, thank goddess. The others are nowhere to be seen, and Link is still curled up, fast asleep on the bed next to mine. I frown. He's having nightmares. He kicks around and every once in a while, he'll mumble something. I smile. It's one of the only other times that I've heard a single whisper out of him. I put my hand on his shoulder and shake him awake. He turns over and looks at me.

"You were having a nightmare," I tell him. He sits up and stretches. "Come on, let's go find the others," I say, dragging him out of the room. He stops to put on his boots, but follows me. By now, it's nearly evening. "Where do you think they went?" I ask him. He shrugs. I pull my bag around my waist and put on my sheathe. I feel so much better with my sword nearby. "Let's go find them." We walk around a lot, asking a bunch of Zoras where the others went. They have no clue. I walk out of the domain-next to the waterfall. Link runs along behind me. I look over the waterfall, but feel sick. Heights have never been my thing, either. I turn around, hiding from the waterfall. "Are they down there?" I ask Link. He shakes his head. "Look again," I tell him. He shakes his head again. I sigh, and start dragging him back into the domain. I catch sight of Midna. She's napping in a shaded corner. I walk over to her. "Where are the others?" I ask her.

"I don't know," she says, yawning. Her orange eyes stare back at me. I start to say something back, but I hear a familiar giggle. We all turn around. There's another pool of water that we missed, and Ookami and Dark Link are splashing each other. And, even more amazingly, Dark Link is _smiling._ I walk over to the two of them. They don't seem to notice me, and continue their splashing game.

"Hey, you two lovebirds, the pool is closed. Time to start planning how we're going to break into the castle without the Triforce members," I tell them. Ookami sighs, and Dark Link just frowns.

"We're not lovebirds! Lark and I were just splashing each other," she says defiantly. I roll my eyes.

"Well, you need to be back in our room now. Ganondorf decided to pay me another visit," I murmur, shivering. Just remembering his face sends shivers down my spine. "Let's go." They follow me back to our room, where we all sit in a circle. "We need a plan. Ganon wants all of the Triforce members to be brought to him. I don't know what he'll do, but it won't be good. So we need people who aren't part of the Triforce. I don't count, since I can still touch the members of the Triforce without being hurt," I say, motioning to Link. "We need to devise a plan where we can still defeat Ganon without Link and Dark Link." It stays silent for a moment, everyone thinking about what to do.

"I could go in, and so could Midna," Ookami points out.

"You're not going in," Dark Link growls. Ookami frowns.

"Yes I am, no matter what you say. I'm not a member of the Triforce, so I'll be safe. And I know the castle anyway, remember? He won't hurt me," she says, although the look in her eyes says otherwise.

"You have to stay safe, otherwise you'll never be able to return to your world," Dark Link argues. He seems very upset by the fact that she's wanting to go in.

"Lark, I can handle myself, you know!" she snaps back. "And I won't be alone. Midna and Miriam will be with me." Dark Link starts to say something, but I cut him off.

"We'll settle who has to go in later, alright?" I tell them. "At this point, we really need to figure out how to defeat him." I just now notice that Link has been furiously writing something. I take the paper and read it.

_Ganondorf's weakness is his stomach and chest. If you can wound him there, you should be able to defeat him. I've stabbed him there before, and now he mostly has it covered. You'll be able to see the wound-it glows. If you can just get him there, we should be able to defeat him easily. He'll try to distract you by talking a lot, but if you ignore him, you should be okay. He'll taunt you, but don't fall for it. Just knock him down and stab him. _I never knew Link could be so heartless. I can't seem to imagine him stabbing someone and watching them die. Apparently he's done it a lot, which helps us, but I can't help trying to imagine him sucking the life out of Ganondorf over and over again…

"What does it say?" Midna asks, snapping me out of my trance. I read it to them.

"One of us should probably go in-someone who's good with a sword," I say. I look around, realizing that I just put myself in that position. "Okay, then I'll go in to defeat Ganondorf," I say cheerfully. A pad of paper gets shoved in my face.

_No you won't. I can, but you aren't going to. _Link has written. I roll my eyes.

"Okay, seriously people, what is with this whole protective thing!?" I ask them, mainly looking at Dark Link and Link. They both simultaneously frown. I let out a groan. "I'll go in there to defeat Ganondorf. It's not that big of a deal," I laugh.

_You'll need the Master Sword._

"Alright, then give me the stupid sword and we'll go out and defeat him. Listen people, I don't see why you're all panicking over this. If anyone is going to die, it'll be me. Just don't let Dark Link and Link touch each other. And you two," I say, staring at the Links, "don't touch any other Triforce members, no matter how happy you are to see them. I don't want to go through that pain again." The others seem to be in agreement. "Alright, meeting dismissed," I tell them. Midna floats over to a dark corner to continue her nap, Dark Link sits in a dark corner by himself, not napping-just staring, Link sits on his bed, polishing his sword, and Ookami and I are left to talk with each other. I take off my boots and let my feet dangle over the edge of the pool.

"So, we're really going to go defeat him, huh?" Ookami says, her feet kicking up the water.

"Yep. We're going to do it. I don't know how we will, but we will," I laugh. She grins.

"Link likes you!" she teases, her voice quiet so the others won't hear her. I raise my eyebrows at her.

"Not nearly as much as Lark likes you!" I kid. She blushes.

"You know, he's really not as cold-hearted as everyone makes him out to be," she says quietly. I allow her to continue. "He's awfully caring, even if he isn't willing to show it at times."

"Well, don't underestimate the power of the dark side of the Triforce," I laugh. She splashes water onto me. "Oh no you didn't!" I giggle, snapping my fingers. I splash her back, causing us to laugh. Midna floats over, grinning, and splashes us. Dark Link and Link join in soon, and we're all soaking wet and freezing cold. I flop out of the pool and lay back, putting my hands behind my head. "I'm exhausted!" I sigh happily. The others sit on the side of the pool, equally as tired. I sit up and splash Ookami one more time and run over to my bed, nearly slipping on the watery floor. I put on my tights, boots, and reattach my cloak to my shirt. I sit on the bed, still shivering. Ookami comes over and sits down next to me.

"Link could cuddle with you to keep you warm," she whispers. I punch her in the arm.

"I could say the same thing about Dark Link and you, you know," I tell her. She blushes furiously. I yawn. "We've had a long day, haven't we?" I murmur, laying back onto my bed.

"Yeah," she says, catching my yawn. "But none of us have had nearly as long of a day as you have," she points out. I nod, though this morning in the cave seems like so long ago. I've had two naps, woken up twice to my pain attacks, tried to swim, almost drowned, used my magic, hurt my back, and got freezing cold multiple times.

"You have a point there," I admit. "I'm going to bed," I murmur, wrapping myself in my dark green cloak. I catch Link frowning at me and grin back at him. Ookami still sits at the edge of my bed.

"It's not even sundown!" she laughs. I nod, too tired to think of a comeback. I try to think of a strategy for us to kill Ganon, but I can't think of any. The thought of the Triforce members all touching each other scares me to my very core. If I die, the Triforce will be thrown completely off balance, and Link may not be able to defeat Ganondorf. I push these thoughts out and think only of sleep.

»•§•«

"Get up, for Farore's sake! We're late!" Midna yells out. I rub my eyes and sit up. The others are in total chaos, trying to pack for our trip. "Move it, move it!" she snaps.

"What's going on?" I croak.

"Traveling, that's what's going on!" Midna snarls. I get up and put my boots on. Link absentmindedly hands me my sword's sheathe. I put it on my back and grab my bag, attaching it to my waist.

"I'm ready to go," I say, cracking my neck. Midna looks rather pleased with me.

"Good, now let's go," she says. "I really don't like Zoras…"

"They do smell like fish, I agree." She leads the way out the door-after I make the beds, of course. I am not looking forward to swimming the whole way. Ookami practically reads my mind.

"Don't worry, we've got a surprise waiting for you," she grins. We walk out of the domain, and we ride back down the waterfall. I hate water so much. After being soaking wet and freezing cold yet again, I wrap myself with my favorite green cloak. Ookami stands next to me. "Look over there," she grins. What she shows me makes me beam with happiness. _A boat!_ It's a really horribly made, unsteady boat that looks like it's about to fall apart, but it's _a boat!_

"Boats!" I yelp.

"Yes, boats," Dark Link says wearily. I stick my tongue out at him. I'm not a fan of boats, but it's way better than having to swim. "We didn't want to hear your complaints, so we got you a boat," he says. I think he's teasing me, but it's kind of hard to tell.

"Thank you!" I cry out, tackling Dark Link. He squirms from under me.

"I didn't do it-Link did," he says, pushing me off. I catch a glance at Ookami, who looks the slightest bit jealous.

"Oh. Well _thank you, _Link," I smile.

"No hug for Link?" Ookami teases. I absentmindedly punch her in the arm. The Zoras help us onto the shaky boats, and suddenly I don't feel nearly as happy about them. I nearly fall, but one of the Zoras catches me. I thank him and sit down. Link hops onto the boat with ease in front of me, and Midna floats along behind us. Dark Link and Ookami get in the boat next to ours. I take out the oars. I've seen a few of the Kokiri children try out these row boats before. I start using the oar.

"You're a natural!" Midna says. I stare at her.

"You could help, you know," I point out. She quickly becomes Link's shadow again. The Zoras wish us good luck, and we begin to paddle. For the most part, the river takes us where we want to go. It's nice and steady, making me not panic over it. I lean back, at ease. Link looks back at me and smirks. He leans the boat over. I panic and flail around, causing the boat to almost tip over. He calmly tips it back. "That was mean," I sneer. He grins. I stare back. I know that look-he's plotting something. Rather quickly, I'm splashed with water. "Hey!" I shout. He splashes me again, so I splash him back.

"Will you two stop flirting over there!?" Ookami yells to us. I row near her, and splash her, too, and then Link and I quickly start to row away from them. It turns into a giant splashing fight. The river seems rather calm, so I lean back once more and start to drift off into sleep.

_"You're not gathering them fast enough," Ganondorf's voice tells me. _

_ "Get away from me!" I shout, trying to back out of the dream. He shakes his head. _

_ "Bring them to me, and you won't die. The princess, too," he snarls. _

_ "Please don't hurt me," my subconscious begs. I try to stay strong, but my mind speaks on its own. _

_ "I won't hurt you this time, girl," he says_. Istruggle out of the dream on my own this time.

My breath comes in rapid gasps when I awaken. Link looks back at me, his face filled with worry once again. I sigh, trying to calm myself, though I'm shaking. I should have avoided sleep.

"H-he didn't hurt me this time," I tell Link. This seems to reassure him, though only a little bit. "I'm okay," I murmur, still trying to catch my breath. I look behind us and see Ookami's worried look. I ignore it as much as possible, and help paddle. "If you'd like to lay down for a bit, I can paddle," I tell Link. He looks very tired and shakes his head. "Sleep," I command him. Once again, I'm denied. So I just keep paddling the boat. We start to go a little faster. The current seems to be picking up. I stop paddling, and so does Link. We only use it to keep ourselves steady. The current picks up more and more, until I start to panic just a little.

"Should we stop?" Ookami suggests. Somehow, I doubt this will be possible, considering we're going too fast to be able to control ourselves. The boat shakes around, nearly tipping us over several times. We're all soaking wet and cold once again.

"What should we do!?" I yell out.

"Just keep going!" Dark Link shouts back. _Oh yes, that sounds like a brilliant plan,_ I think to myself.

"Watch out!" I cry out. I know it's too late, though, because we crash right into the rock. I hear a lot of shouting from Ookami and Dark Link, but the water muffles it. Panic fills my lungs. _Now, breathe nice and slowly and relax. This isn't a trap. It's just water,_ I remember Ookami's words, and try to think of them over and over again. The rushing water pounds into my ears, and makes me sway around a lot. I'm slammed against a rock. _Try to relax a little, Miriam. _I can't breathe, so relaxing is pretty difficult. I use the rock to push myself up. I feel the wind-cold as ice-on my skin. I take a deep breath and cough out whatever water I swallowed. I try to calm myself, but my legs are already turning to a freezing cold temperature. I have to get out of the water before I freeze to death.

Another current pulls me away from the rock. My head bobs above the water, and I look around for Midna or Link. A flash of green makes me look. _That's just moss, Miriam,_ I tell myself. I see land, but the current is too fast for me to keep up. I'm pulled back under again, and the icy cold water fills my lungs. It feels like a thousand bees are stingy my insides at one time. Everything below my waist has turned numb. My fingers are starting to go numb as well. I get slammed against another rock, and feel my arm shoot out with pain. I let out a yell. _No one will be able to hear me over the water,_ my mind tells me. I finally open my eyes, though they sting with the water. I look around again and get pulled back down. I can hardly move my body. Something pulls on my leg. My panic builds up again. Then, it lets go and holds onto my hand. I'm too exhausted to fight it, and just let it carry me. Soon, I'm above water again, and whoever pulled me up is dragging me onto a shore. I open my eyes wearily.

"She gonna be alright?" Midna's familiar voice asks. _I wish it was Link's voice, _I find myself thinking. I look at her, though she seems very blurry. I try to speak, but I can only cough. Link sits me up and lets me cough out all of the water. I can't seem to say anything, and I don't attempt to again. I only want to breathe. Never again will I take it for granted. I smile weakly at him, and he smiles back. He's just as wet as I am, and seems pretty tired. Finally, I decide I can talk.

"Th-thanks," I shiver. I'm freezing cold, and so is Link. "W-where are O-Ookami and L-Lark?" I ask, still stuttering. Midna frowns.

"I'd better go look for them… I'll be back as soon as I find them, although it may take a few hours," she says. Link and I can't call out to her quickly enough, because she's gone in a flash. I shiver, my teeth chattering involuntarily. I try to make them stop, but I can't. I look at my legs, and realize that my skin is a pretty vibrant shade of blue. I sigh, and pull out my green cloak from my bag. It's just as wet. I shiver more. Link seems just as cold. I'm desperate for warmth. Without thinking, I hug him tightly. He seems like the warmest thing in Hyrule, and I hold tight to him. We help each other off the ground and onto the soft, plush grass. I help him gather sticks for firewood.

"Th-thanks for earlier," I murmur, still shaking. Link nods absentmindedly, and finds a large log. He slips on the power bracelets and easily moves it over to our wood pile. There, he rubs two sticks together to start the fire. I try to help, but it doesn't end well. I sit down on the log, trying to dry out my green cloak. The sticks go up into flames, and I couldn't have been much happier. I stick my hands out to warm them. I sit closer to Link. He's really warm. He pulls out a blanket from his bag and lays it near the fire to dry. I do the same with my cloak, and sit next to Link, tired. I put my head on his shoulder, and even though it might seem awkward to him, I'm warm. That's the only thing that matters now. I stare into the fire and finally fall asleep.

Chapter 6

_"She will die," Ganondorf says, holding the knife above Dark Zelda's head. _

_ "No!" I shout. She's conscious, and is trying to struggle away._

_ "Hurry, then. You wouldn't want the precious princesses to die, would you?"_

Once again, I wake up gasping for breath. I look around, wondering where I am. The memory of my near drowning comes back to me. The fire has been reduced to smoke by now. I realize that I'm wrapped in Link's blanket. I sit up slowly, making sure not to disturb Link, who seems pretty content. I notice I left my green cloak on the ground. I pick it up. It's mostly dry by now. I gently cover Link with it and walk around to get more firewood.

There's no sign of Midna anywhere, so I assume she hasn't found Ookami or Dark Link. I pick up some more sticks and add them to our pile. I try to ignite the fire, but I can't seem to do it like Link does. The sun should be coming out soon, though, and that should help to warm us. I can't help but think about how cold the water is. An idea crosses my mind. I could light the fire with my magic, if I can just think of how to do it like before. I try to panic, but that's not very helpful. I close my eyes and hold out my hands. I concentrate on the feeling of it. The magic builds-I can sense it. Finally, I release it. The fire roars to life. I grin and go to get more water. I fill some jars with it, then put them over the fire. The sun is just coming over the horizon. Link begins to stir.

"Good morning," I say, handing him a jar with hot water in it. "Careful, it's hot," I warn him. He drinks it quickly. "Thirsty, huh?" He nods. I refill the water jar and hold it over the fire again. We sit next to the fire, drinking hot water. I hand him his blanket back. "Thanks for this," I smile. He smiles back. "Link, why won't you speak to me? It'd be a lot easier to communicate. The pad of paper is probably too soaked to use by now…" I murmur. Link gets up and grabs a stick, then walks over to the sand. "You never run out of ideas, do you?" I beam. He writes in the sand with the stick. It's messy, but I can read it.

_Good morning. _It reads. I take the stick and draw a Triforce in the sand. Link takes it back and carves out the middle piece. I laugh.

"Hey, that's me!" I say. He wipes it away with his boot.

_Any bad dreams last night? _He asks. I frown. I don't want to lie to him, but I can't really say anything.

"Nothing too bad," I say. He sees right through me and points to the sand again. I sigh. "Alright, fine, I had a bad dream last night."

_What was it about? _Darn. Now he wants details.

"Well, it was about Ganondorf again…" I murmur. I look at him. He stares back, his blue eyes very patient. It's going to be really hard to tell him this. "I… He… He tried to kill Dark Zelda," I blurt out. Link's face says it all. He knows that if Ganondorf kills Dark Zelda, the Light Zelda will die, too. A feeling of jealousy comes across me. _Am I jealous of the princess? _ I wonder. I shake off the feeling and look over at Link. He's trying to disguise his anger at Ganondorf, but his fists are clenched tightly. I touch his shoulder. He looks at me, his eyes still worried. "We'll do everything in our power to save the princess," I tell him. He nods, and sits down on the log next to the fire. I sit next to him. He sighs. I sigh. He pokes the fire with a stick. I poke the fire with a stick. He figures out that I'm mocking him and stands up. I stand up with him. He backs up, and back flips.

"No fair! I can't do that!" I laugh. He pulls me over to a grassy patch and tries to teach me how to back flip. I giggle, trying to flip, but landing on my back. He slips on the power bracelets and picks me up. I stare at him. He grins and flips me over. I land on my feet. "How did you do that?" I ask him, laughing. He back flips, showing me. I try to do it on my own, but wind up with Link helping me. I finally get the hang of it after an hour or so. I back flip again and again. "This is so cool!" I laugh. I'm almost dizzy from all the moving around. We walk over to the sand again.

_I wonder where Midna is. _He draws in the sand. I nod.

"She's been quite a while," I murmur. He nods and sits back down-this time on the sand. I take off my boots and let my feet sit in the water. "Thanks," I say. He rolls his eyes jokingly at me. I laugh. "I know I've thanked you a lot, but you seem to keep helping me out a lot. So thank you," I smile, looking at him. His bright blue eyes stare back at me. This moment just keeps getting more and more awkward. I turn bright red and look away. I can feel his eyes still on me, but lucky for us, the awkward moment is broken. Midna comes floating over.

"They're coming up the river now," Midna grins. "Unlike you two, they aren't wet." I roll my eyes playfully at her. The sound of water splashing makes me look over. There, Ookami and Dark Link grin at us, our boat being towed behind them.

"Looks like you had a bath," Ookami teases, pulling the boat to shore. I get up and sigh. "Your hair is still wet," she says, pointing it out. I laugh.

"I guess you're right. That's the problem with having waist length hair," I tell her. "I've never had the heart to chop it all off, either. Never get hair this long."

"Looks like it would be a pain," Ookami admits.

"Can we stop talking about hair and go? We're running behind," Dark Link says. Ookami and I roll our eyes at him. I take the front of the boat, and Link takes the back. We start back down the river, more cautious than we were before. We travel for most of the day, not saying anything. I've never been this sore in my life. I was nearly drowned, my left arm still hurts, and just two days ago, I was slammed against a wall. I ignore the pain, though, and work hard at the paddling so Link doesn't get too worn out. We stop to take a break at another shore.

"I'm exhausted," Ookami says. I nod my head in agreement, too tired to say anything. We eat some more of those apples Ookami seems to bring everywhere, and then head out without saying much more. We float down the river, taking naps here and there (although now that I'm in the front of the row boat, I can't exactly lean back, because that would be awkward). Finally, it becomes nightfall. I stare at the stars for a while as we pull ourselves onto shore. I still feel like I'm rocking in the boat, though. Ookami must feel the same way, because I watch her rock back and forth. We sit all sit down. It's been rather quiet today. No one wants to talk. We're nearing the castle now, and the butterflies are swirling in our stomachs.

"How are we going to get past the barrier?" I ask them. Dark Link and Midna look at each other.

"Leave that up to us," she says, seeming determined. I trust they'll find a way to break it down.

"Are we going to sleep here?" I ask them. The ground isn't even covered in grass-it's just dirt. The others look around. It's rather bare considering it's right next to a river.

"I guess so," Midna says. _Easy for her to say, _I think, realizing that she can just float. We start getting ready and take in that it gets really cold at night. We all keep as close as we can and cover ourselves with blankets. Ookami is stuck between me and Dark Link, and I'm stuck between Ookami and Link. Midna floats off to do whatever she wants. She doesn't seem to be the slightest bit cold. My mind starts to drift off, and soon, I'm asleep.

_I'm in a white room, totally different than it usually is. I look around, panicked. A calm, gentle, familiar voice starts to sing. I realize that it's Link's-from the mountains. I listen to it happily. It's interrupted by unfamiliar screams of agony. I put my hands over my ears and wish for it to stop. Darkness swirls around me, and I realize that I'm back in Ganondorf's castle. He grins at me. _

_ "That will be what you hear if you don't bring them to me," he whispers. I shiver. _

_ "Why do you keep asking me to do this!?" I ask out of desperation._

_ "Because for you and I to both survive, you're going to have to bring the Triforce members to me," he says eerily. I try to wake up, but it doesn't work. "Don't bother," he says. "Once you bring them to me, I'll be able to kill them."_

_ "NO!" I yell out, but it's already fading away. _

Someone squeezes my hand tightly, and I wake up. I look over. A pair of blue eyes stare back at me. Link holds my hand tightly.

"Did you hear me…?" I ask him.

"Everyone heard you," Ookami remarks, handing me a jar filled with water. I sit up and drink it gladly after realizing I'm extremely thirsty. There's a silence for a moment. "Well? What did you dream about?" Ookami asks. I sigh, not wanting to explain my dream.

"Ganondorf came again and told me to gather the Triforce members. He must be desperate if he-" I'm interrupted by my own screams. _He's touching her!_ My body is wracked with pain again. This time, it feels like I'm getting pressed between two walls, and my oxygen is being taken from me. My bones feel like they're being stomped on, and my veins feel like they're going to pop. My head aches, and I can hear his whispers in my head.

_"Better hurry," _it says. I scream out again and again, wishing for it to stop. My throat burns, I can't breathe, electricity shoots down every corner of my body, and my eyes feel like they're on fire. It stops, and I can finally breathe again. I gasp for air. Link's hand is back in mine, and I'm already looking into the worried eyes of Ookami and Midna.

"He… He's desperate…" I murmur, hardly able to speak.

"We'd better get moving, then," Dark Link says. I look over at him.

"He's expecting us, though. We can't just go in there. He'll be armed and powerful," I tell them.

"When hasn't he expected Link, though? And he doesn't know that Ookami and Dark Link are with us, right?" Midna points out. I nod. He never mentioned them in my dreams.

"We'll have to move quickly, you know," I tell them. They all nod at me. "Then let's go," I say, struggling to stand up. Link's hand is still holding mine, so he uses it to help me up. We get in the boats and start riding. The sky in the east is dark and frightening looking. _That's where the castle is, _I think to myself. I try to stay concentrated on paddling, but it's a little hard, considering that this may be our last day. I try to devise a plan that will help us get into the castle. Midna and Dark Link will have to take care of the barriers, and then Ookami, Midna, and I will all go into the castle together. I doubt Dark Link and Link will follow our instructions, though. We reach the end of the river, where it pools out and becomes one giant lake. _Lake Hylia,_ I remind myself.

"Welcome to Lake Hylia, ladies and gentlemen," Midna smiles. We get off of our boats, and look around. I'm so sick of water after these last few days, that I can hardly stand it. "Let's take a rest for a while and then we'll put our plan into action." We all seem to agree, even though we don't really have a plan. Ookami brings this up, so I state mine.

"…So as long as Link and Dark Link stay outside the castle, we should be okay," I finish. The Links don't look so happy about this plan, but if they want to keep us alive, they'd better stay out of the castle. None of us want to go there. We're all sick of rowing and walking and traveling, but somehow, I don't think any of us want to part from each other. We've become pretty good friends, even though, just days ago, I didn't know any of them. Ookami pours out the remnants of her bag-just five apples. We all take one, eating slowly on purpose. Finally, when we can't stall any longer, we stand up, and get into the boats. Even though we're rowing as slowly as possible, we still reach land, where we step off, right next to Castle Town. Walking through it, it's obviously deserted. Everything is eerily silent.

"Sad to see what this place has come to…" Midna murmurs. We all agree, though we don't voice it. Hyrule Castle stands before us, and I don't think the butterflies in my stomach will ever stop swirling. Midna and Ookami obviously feel the same way. "Stand back," Midna tells us. "You may want to cover your eyes, as well." We do as she says, and soon, there's a burst of light and a ringing in my ears. After it all clears, though, the mighty Hyrule Castle stands before us.

"Wait out here," I tell Link and Dark Link. They nod, though I know that if they hear one sound from that castle, they'll come running in. I don't want to move. That sinking feeling in my stomach doesn't go away. I practically _know _I'm going to die. I reach over and squeeze Ookami's hand. She looks at me and attempts to smile. I take Midna's small, impish hand, and we all start to move towards the castle. The castle is _huge._ I don't know how we'll ever find Ganondorf in that thing, but I believe that's the least of our worries.

"Come on, guys. Let's do this," I say, letting go of their hands and starting to move faster towards the castle. I stop to take a quick look back. Link waves his hand reassuringly. I wave back and smile at him. Turning around, I unsheathe my sword, feeling better already. My mind is only set on Ganondorf. I have to kill him to get all of this to end. I remind myself that he just wants to kill the other Triforce members and will probably be the slightest bit angry that I didn't bring Link and Dark Link up with me. "Ookami, you know the castle pretty well, right?" I ask her.

"A little bit. I think we'll be able to get around with Midna's help," she says. I nod, still trying to get rid of the butterflies. A few Bulblins spot us, but we quickly take care of them. "I hope Ganondorf didn't hear that…" Ookami murmurs. I nod my head, but somehow, I think he'll know we're here. I look back to see if I can see Link, but the fog covers where we left them. I head towards the giant, steel doors. Pausing only briefly, I put my hand on the giant door handle. I open it. The door swings open easily. It creaks, and I _know_ that Ganondorf knows we're here. Ookami looks a bit shaken up, and it's clear that Midna is trying too hard to keep her cool. She lets out a fake yawn.

"Stick together, and don't show your weaknesses. We're getting out of this alive. No one but Ganondorf and his minions will die," I say. I realize that I left my green cloak with Link and Dark Link and think that it could possibly be useful. For what, I don't know, but it could be. Ookami and Midna help navigate through the castle. "Too bad we don't have Princess Zelda to help," I say teasingly.

"Somehow I doubt the princess would like to meet Ganondorf yet again," Midna says. We climb what feels like a thousand stairs, and with each step, the butterflies begin to wash away. I think of all the pain-literally-that Ganondorf has caused me. My anger washes away most of my nervousness. I keep hearing the slightest sounds behind us, but whenever we look back, there's nothing there. My nerves must be getting the better of me. _What nerves? I'm not nervous. I'm furious, _I remind myself. Finally, after defeating many Bulblins, Redead Knights, and Darknuts, we reach the room at the top of the castle.

"Why am I not surprised Ganondorf chose the highest room?" I hiss, enraged. I look at Midna and Ookami, who look just about as ready as I am. "Let's do this," I grin, pulling open the giant doors. The room is _huge_, and right in the middle sits Ganondorf, playing his organ. Behind him is a small table. "Miss us?" I yell across the room. Ookami and Midna give me the same annoyed look. I spot Dark Zelda lying in the corner and motion to her with my head. "Keep him away from her," I whisper. Ganondorf spins around, and I realize he's even uglier than he was in my dreams. I scowl at him.

"Oh yes, very much, thank you," he says, his voice echoing in the oversized room. "Where are the other members of the Triforce!?" he roars, flipping over the table in the center of the room.

"Well, someone's lost their cool," I say, checking my manicure. Ganondorf lets out the most horrific laugh. It sends chills down my spine, but I remind myself I can't be moved by him. He's filthy, and according to Midna, he smells like bad breath.

"I told you to bring them, or you'll suffer!" he yells. He looks over at Dark Zelda. I can practically see him calculating how long it will take to get to her.

"No need for yelling just yet, Ganondorf," I tell him. "Don't bother running to Zelda over there. You'll just be made a coward," I spit.

"Alright, fine, little girl. Let's settle this the fair way," he says.

"Somehow I don't think this is going to end very fairly," I murmur, yawning. He ignores my ignorance.

"I challenge you to a duel," he says.

"That's hardly fair, you know. You're three times bigger than I am. Let me have my friends along with me," I grin. I know he'll accept it.

"Alright, fine. A battle to the death between me, you, and your friends."

Chapter 7

I look over at Miriam. She looks ready to kill an army of Ganondorfs. I'll keep in mind not to get on her bad side. Then, I look at Midna. She seems determined to conquer him and rescue both worlds. I hone in on my anger towards him. Because of him, both the world of Hyrule and Twilight are in chaos. Now is my chance to get back at him for kidnapping me.

Miriam and I draw our swords, and Midna has her orange hair out. Ganondorf holds out his hand, and a dark aura surrounds it. When the aura clears, he is holding a wide, white sword with an ornate hilt.

"It's show time!" Miriam yells.

Ganondorf runs towards Miriam, and the two lock swords for a moment. This begins their swordfight. Midna and I circle them, waiting for a chance to attack. We look like a pack of wolves.

_Hang on a minute_, I think. _That would be much more useful than this sword._ I sheathe my sword and concentrate. I focus on the sensation of it, and I feel my body melt away. My eyes open. I'm on all fours, and everyone seems much taller than before. Midna is staring at me, her mouth wide open. You would think she would be more used to people transforming into wolves by now. Miriam glances over and loses her focus just long enough for Ganondorf to kick her down. However, in half a second she's back up and fighting again.

Midna starts to speak. "What did you just-"

"We'll talk later," I tell them, telepathically, of course.

Ganondorf loses his balance, and in the space of a second I have run in, torn a gash on his leg, and run out. I taste his blood in my mouth. It tastes metallic and bitter, and I try my best to spit it out. Miriam lands a strike at his arm, and he falters. I take advantage of this, and soon my mouth is filled with blood from his back.

Miriam stabs at his stomach, but a large clang echoes through the room. Her sword has hit a layer of armor underneath his clothes. Ganondorf grins. Miriam loses her balance from the impact and falls back on her rear. Ganondorf uses this pause in action to try and strike her. She screams, but rolls away just in time. The swordfight resumes.

_Alright, I'd better change back now,_ I think to myself. I can feel the demonic powers tugging at my sanity. Once again, I focus on changing, and I'm back to my normal self.

A minute later, both Links run in. They look terrified. Then again, I would be too if I'd heard a scream like that.

Midna floats over to them. "We're all okay," she assures them. "Just a little shaken up." She looks over at me. "Oh, so you're normal again?"

"Later, Midna," I reply. This really isn't the time to explain. I look at the three. "We're all here, so we might as well try to rescue Dark Zelda." I glance over at her. She's still unconscious, lying there in the corner.

Lark speaks up. "Midna, you get her. If Link or I touch her, it'll hurt Miriam." Midna floats over to Dark Zelda and shakes her awake. Zelda looks slightly confused for a moment, but gets up and helps us.

"What happened to a fair fight?" Ganondorf asks us, still circling Miriam.

"Oh please, you said a battle between me and my friends, and I'm calling another friend in," Miriam smirks. Dark Zelda walks towards the edge of the room and begins to charge her magic. Ganondorf starts to saunter over to her.

"Don't let him touch her!" I shout, beginning to run to her. Lark runs towards her, too. He reaches her first, and pulls her away as Ganondorf's sword comes crashing down on the floor. Miriam screams in pain. Lark lets go of Dark Zelda.

"Watch it over there!" Miriam shouts from across the room. She charges towards Ganondorf, only to be blocked and kicked down by him. Link charges towards her, but Midna holds him back. I pull out my bow and arrows. Dark Zelda walks over.

"Watch this," she says, touching the end of my arrow. A bright light comes from it. "Now when you hit Ganondorf, you can do some actual damage," she smiles. Zelda stands back and gives me room. Miriam and Ganondorf keep moving around, though, and I can't get a good shot. Finally, she locks him into position, and their heads are so close they're practically touching. I let the arrow go, and it flies into his arm. He lets out a yowl of pain, giving Miriam enough time to knock him down.

"What are you planning on doing, little princess? Stabbing me? Try it!" Ganondorf snarls. Miriam grins. She holds her sword over his head.

"I could stab your head, you know," she tells him. A wave of panic crosses his face, but by this time, he has gotten a hold of himself long enough to trip Miriam and stand up. He holds his sword over her. Link starts to charge towards him, but once again, Midna holds him back.

"Now I can stab your head," he grins. I shoot another light arrow, giving Miriam time to hop up and arm herself.

"Link! The Master Sword!" Miriam shouts. I look over at Link and take his sword, throwing it to Miriam. She catches it in her left hand. "Dual swords!" Miriam exclaims happily. Ganondorf is not showing any emotions.

"I guess I'll have to make this fair, huh?" Ganondorf laughs, holding out his hand again. Another sword appears.

"For the love of Farore!" Midna curses under her breath. "Let's go, Ookami," she says. I follow her where Ganondorf and Miriam are fighting.

"It's about time you two joined me!" Miriam laughs, kicking Ganondorf in the chest. It only makes him stumble back a bit, though. We encircle him together, Miriam attacks with the swords, I shoot at him with the light arrows, and Midna shouts orders. We back him against the wall near Lark, Dark Zelda, and Link. Miriam finally has him pinned against the wall. "Any last words?" she smirks.

"Yes, actually: _die,"_ he says. Before any of us can react, he grabs Lark and Dark Zelda. Miriam falls to the ground instantly.

"Miriam!" Midna and I shout in unison, falling to our knees. In the chaos, Ganondorf has run out of the room and disappeared. Link shoves Midna out of the way, kneeling next to Miriam. I grab her wrist, trying to find a pulse. Her heart is silent.

"Oh god no. Please, no," I stammer. My eyes start tearing up. I hear a noise and look up. Link is sobbing, a sight that wrenches at the heart. I stand up to give him some space. Lark puts his arm around me, and I lean against him. Link holds Miriam's cold hand, still sobbing. He opens his mouth, and we all wait for the words to come out of them.

"I love you," he whispers. I bury my head into Lark's chest, crying. "I love you, Miriam…" he says over and over again. "I always have loved you." He seems to remember something, and stands up, rigid. "Farore!" he shouts out. Almost immediately, a bright light of green shoots across the room. Standing in front of us is a tall woman with green hair and green eyes. Her outfit is a brilliant emerald color. She looks over at Link.

"What is it, my hero?" Farore asks, her voice steady and gentle.

"I'm using my wish," Link tells her. Midna and Lark gasp at him.

"What is your wish, Hero of Time?" she inquires.

"I wish Miriam would come back to life," Link tells her. I notice that he still has tears rolling down his cheeks. Farore starts to say something, but decides against it. She stoops over Miriam's body, and a flash of green light erupts from her hand. The green lights follow her veins, and a bright light bursts from her heart. Miriam's eyes flash open, the same bright green light coming from them. The light disappears from her body.

"Your wish has been granted," the goddess says, leaving in yet another green flash of light. Miriam stays still, unmoving.

"Well, no use crying over spilt Miriam," Midna jokes. Link shoots her a hard look. Miriam begins to stir, sitting up. Link falls to his knees and hugs her tightly.

"You guys let him get away? Without a single piece of bacon!?" Miriam exclaims, seeming to be genuinely upset.

"You're back!" Link says. Miriam's eyes are wide open.

"Woah there. Link speaks, Ganondorf is gone, and you didn't save me a piece of bacon… Where am I!?" Miriam laughs.

"You're in the magical world of Stalfos, Redeads, and crazy people like Tingle," I explain to her. Miriam frowns.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Give me a hug! It's like I haven't even been dead!" Miriam giggles. I promptly hug both her and Link, nearly squeezing the life out of them. "Okay, okay, almost died here, not so tight," Miriam says, her voice strained. I let go, although Link still holds on. "Um… Okay… While Link is busy hugging the life out of me, will someone please fill me in?" Miriam asks. Link finally lets go. I fill her in on all the details, but when I get to the part where Link was crying over her body, I can't find the words to go on. Link helps me with it, though.

"I called out for Farore. She promised me one wish for being the Hero of Time. So I wished that you would come back to life," he explains. None of us can seem to adjust to Link's speaking. Especially not Miriam. I notice that Link has left out the part where he was crying over her body and said "I love you".

"Link, you're _talking!"_ Miriam beams. He smiles back at her. She hugs him tightly. "That makes me so happy!" She lets go of him and looks around. "Well, I guess we'd better tell Princess Zelda she can live in the castle again. It's kind of a mess, though…" she murmurs. The room has been practically destroyed. The organ has been chipped at, the chandelier that was hanging from the ceiling has been thrown onto the ground, and, of course, there's the table that Ganondorf flipped over.

"I'm sure she'll be happy just to have it back," Lark comments. Link helps Miriam up.

"Let's go," I say, ready to get out of the castle. We leave Dark Zelda in the room. They all follow Midna and me down the stairs. The word seems to have gotten out rather quickly, because some of the Castle Town people are already coming into the town square. We walk out of the Castle grounds and into the square. The people begin to cheer for us. I blush and hide behind Lark.

"They'll probably throw us a feast if we don't get out of here fast enough," Link warns us. We start to walk out of the town, but Miriam waits behind.

"Come on!" I tell her. She stands there.

"I wonder if they would have bacon at that feast…" she murmurs.

"We'll get you bacon _later,_ Miriam," I promise her. I drag her away from Castle Town, though the people keep following us. Link tries to shake them off by running into a back alley.

"Here, go in here," he whispers, opening a door. We all run in, barely missing the crowd of people. We start to leave, but a high-pitched voice comes from the back of the room.

"You have bugs on you. I can smell them," the voice says. I stand stiffly, frightened. We all turn back around.

"Uh… Agatha… Hi…" Link stammers, scratching his head. Miriam tenses up next to me.

"Oh, do you and this Agatha know each other?" Miriam asks, her voice full of jealousy. Link either doesn't catch on or chooses to ignore her.

"Yeah… She catches bugs and I'll bring some to her every once in a while. It's for her bug dance or something," he explains.

"Bug ball," Agatha corrects. She walks over, her giant, poofy dress making rustling sounds. She sniffs around us like a dog. She finally reaches Lark, where she stares at him. "You have a bug," she says. He stares back at her.

"I don't have a bug…" he murmurs darkly. She puts her hands on his arms and twists him around. She plucks a large bug off of his back.

"You were trying to hide her from me," Agatha snaps. "It's okay, honey. Mommy's here now," she coos.

"Can we leave now?" Miriam asks impatiently. Agatha nods, not really focused on us-just her bug. Lark still seems very uncomfortable. Link holds the door for us, and we sneak out of Castle Town. The preacher near the front gate yells out, but Link puts a rupee into his hand and the man quickly shuts up. We leave Castle Town at a different entrance than we started from and wind up in Hyrule Field.

"What now?" I ask them.

"Well, we still need to find Ganondorf. I'm not exactly sure where to look, though," Miriam admits. "Let's wander around a lot!" she suggests. None of us have any better ideas, so we all agree. "Can we start with Kokiri forest, though?" she begs. Link agrees with her. The two of them seem rather homesick.

"To Kokiri forest it is," I laugh.

Chapter 8

_Link talks. _Link really _talks!_ I mean, he sang once before, but this time, he really _talked! _He doesn't seem to be the same old mute anymore. He seems a whole lot happier after I, well, died. We find Epona and Geno nearby. I ride behind Link, as usual. _We're finally going home, and Link talks now. Life couldn't get much better,_ I think to myself.

"You talk now!" I say for the fifteenth time. Link grins.

"You've got that right. Say, did you see anything while you were, uh, dead?" he asks me. His voice is so steady and calm.

"Well, not really. I just remember it being really black. Then suddenly, I was in a world of white, and someone started speaking to me, but I don't remember any of it. Next thing I know, I was waking up with you hugging me to death," I lie. I really had more experiences than that, but I don't feel like going into detail on it with Link. He seems oddly relieved. "I'm so happy you're talking!"

"So am I. I never realized what a relief it is to finally be able to speak," he says. Epona jumps over a large fence.

"Have you seen the Bridge of Eldin?" I ask him.

"Yeah. There are a lot of Bulblins and Bullbos, which makes it the perfect place to learn how to fight," he remarks.

"Is it on the way to Kokiri?" I ask him, hinting at it. I've always really wanted to go to the Bridge of Eldin. He takes the hint rather easily. He's not like most other guys. Link actually listens.

"Well, it can be if you'd like. We could stop by Kakariko," he tells me. I hug him tightly. "I'm guessing that's a yes." And so as we stop for lunch, we tell everyone about our plans for the Bridge of Eldin. They seem to agree with it and actually seem excited. I hug Link yet again. He blushes, but hugs me back. We stand up to go, and Ookami leans over into my ear.

"First comes love, then comes marriage…" she whispers. I hit her arm playfully.

"Oh please, you obviously didn't see Dark Link when you got hurt in the mountains," I tease. She turns as red as Din's fire. We get back onto Epona and Geno and start to ride towards the Bridge of Eldin. Riding Epona is so much easier than walking through the mountains or riding a boat. I prefer riding horses much more. We reach the Bridge of Eldin near sunset, and it's _breathtaking._ I slide off of Epona before we reach it. A fire arrow comes crashing down next to me. Link kills the Bulblin before I can say "Hero of Time".

"Well, other than that run-in, isn't it beautiful?" he asks. It's sunset, so all of Hyrule looks like it's been put on fire. Our heads are so close that we're nearly touching. I turn away.

"Yeah. It's really pretty," I murmur, blushing. I begin to walk out onto the bridge. The others follow closely behind. Me being afraid of heights and all, I prefer not to look down. The stone bridge isn't held up by anything but the sides of it. I walk in the very center of it, keeping very close to Link. "Gosh it's beautiful…" I murmur. The others nod. We watch the sun go down together. Midna sits at the edge of the bridge and dangles her feet off the edge. After the sun goes down, we start to ride the horses to the other end.

"I'm just warning you all that there are a lot of Bulblins and Bullbos out here," Link says cheerily. We ride towards the other side. I raise my sword up, yelling out a battle cry as a joke. Lark, Ookami, and Link follow along. Midna buries her head in her hands, floating along with us.

"I'm so embarrassed to be around you all," she sighs. We charge at the Bulblins. There are _tons_ of them. I try to hit some with my sword, but Link keeps hitting all of them first.

"Hey! Leave some for me!" I whine. Link doesn't do as I ask, so I'm forced to jump off of Epona (which is rather cool, if I do say so myself). Several of them swarm around me. I hit the head off of one of them with my sword, and then beat the heck out of the others. I dodge one of the clubs and hit at the Bulblin's side. Once that batch of creatures is finished with, I use my bow and arrow and hit the ones trying to attack Link. Ookami and Lark seem to be taking care of themselves.

"Hop aboard, princess," Link says to me, his hand outstretched. I didn't even notice him there until just now.

"Why thank you, sir," I smile, taking his hand and hopping onto Epona. We defeat a lot of Bulblins until all that's left are a few Bullbos. I get ready to slaughter those, too, until Link stops me.

"Those are harmless. They won't attack unless someone's riding them," he says. I grin, getting off Epona. I've just had the most _swell_ idea. "Don't-" Link starts to say. I cut him off with a wave of my hand. I stand up to one of the smaller Bullbos, petting it gently. It doesn't really seem to care. I swing my leg over it, and yet it still doesn't care. "Hold on tight," Link tells me, giving up on me listening to him. I do as he says and dig my heels into the Bullbo's sides. Almost immediately, it rears up and starts charging. I feel sick at first, but then I get used to it. It's actually really fun.

"That's one of the baby ones," Lark says, catching up to me. I pat the baby Bullbo's side, realizing that it's much smaller than the others. Those things are _huge_ compared to this one.

"Can we keep it?" I ask. I realize that Ookami isn't on Geno's back. I hear the snort of another Bullbo and look around. Ookami yells out happily. She rides towards us. The Bullbo slows down. It's towering above us.

"Let's keep the baby one!" she exclaims, hopping off of the giant one. It runs off, afraid of the horses. Link and Lark sigh, obviously not so happy about it.

"No," Midna snaps. She looks rather mad. I slide off of the Bullbo and hand it a bit of an apple. It happily eats it. I pick up part of a dead Bulblin and feed it to him. He seems just as happy. After a moment, he walks over to Midna. She tries to float away, but he just follows her.

"See, Midna? He likes you!" I say, hugging the smelly Bullbo.

"Fine. But only for tonight," she snaps. I beam at her.

"I'm going to name you Botan!" I exclaim. I get back on it and ride it over to a small pool of water. "You need a bath," I tell him. I scrub him down with water, happily humming to myself.

"What are you doing?" Link asks, hopping off of Epona. I look at him and grin.

"I'm giving him a bath, silly," I say, taking off Botan's saddle. He splashes around in the water. Link helps wipe him off, too. "Those Bulblins didn't take very good care of you, did they?" I ask Botan. He snorts at me, not understanding. "It's okay. I'm taking care of you now." I turn to Link. "Do you think the people in Kakariko will mind?"

"Probably not, as long as you show that he's not a threat. He can't really do any damage right now, and as long as we take good care of him, we should be okay," he remarks. I smile and hug Botan.

"You're such a good boy," I tell him, putting his saddle back on. Link helps me onto Epona. I beckon to Botan to follow us, and he does. I praise him. Midna rolls her eyes, but I can tell she's getting attached to him, too. We ride into Kakariko Village, where many of the townspeople try to attack Botan. I tell them to stay away. They look at Link for guidance.

"He's okay. He's just a baby Bullbo," Link says. The people look shocked that he has spoken.

"Link talks, has friends, and is in the process of fighting Ganondorf," I tell them. "So really, he's changing things up a bit." We find the inn and settle into a room with two beds. Midna and two others will have to deal without beds. "Well, at least we're sleeping in an actual room tonight," I say. The others seem to agree. It doesn't seem like just this morning that we were rowing our boats into Lake Hylia. Or, for that matter, that Link wasn't talking this morning. Link and I offer to take up the floor. I'm exhausted from today. I slept on dirt, heard Link scream out in my dreams, rowed a boat into Lake Hylia, climbed hundreds of stairs, fought Ganondorf, died, was brought back to life, rejoiced, climbed down those hundreds of stairs, rode on a horse, fought a bunch of Bulblins at the Bridge of Eldin, found a baby Bullbo, cleaned the baby Bullbo and named it, and went to the inn at Kakariko Village.

"You're probably worn out," Ookami remarks, handing me an extra pillow and blankets. I take them graciously and make my bed with them. I flop down next to Link. It's _freezing_ in here.

"I'm so tired I could sleep through tomorrow," I admit. My mind can't seem to stop racing. All the images from today, especially the one I had when I died, can't leave my conscience alone.

_The world around me is dark for a moment, then flashes of light. I panic, thinking this is another one of Ganondorf's traps. _

_ "No need to worry, child," a voice coos. I turn around, finding Saria standing in front of me. I stare at her, shocked. _

_ "Why are you here?" I ask her, scared for another reason._

_ "I'm the Sage of the Forest," she admits. _

_ "You're _what!?" _I exclaim. _

_ "I'm the Sage of the Forest. Normally, Nabooru or Rauru come to greet the deceased, but since I'm so close to you, I get to visit you!"_

_ "The deceased!?" I frown._

_ "Oh, no worries, Miriam. You won't stay dead for long. You've got Link's attention now," she giggles. "He'll save you for sure," she smiles. Then, more seriously, she adds "Don't push them out of your life, Miriam. Keep them close and you should be alright. Ookami and Link especially. You'll become great friends with all of them." She starts to fade away. "Well, I guess this is our good-bye, Miriam!" Saria says, waving to me. _

_ "Saria!" I shout out. "Where are you going?" I cry out. _

_ "Miriam! You'll be fine! You're going to have so many adventures!"_

I wake up early in the morning, refusing to open my eyes. Something smells fresh and woodsy. Whoever or whatever it is smells like home. I open my eyes, seeing nothing but green and a tan colored wall. I'm totally unsure of where I am. Then I remember that I'm in the Kakariko Inn. The realization hits me. _Hard._ I sit up quickly, getting away from Link as quickly as I possibly can. I cuss under my breath. I always move around in my sleep, and apparently I wound up curled up next to Link. I hope he didn't notice. I watch him wake up and try to act natural.

"'Morning," I yawn, stretching. He stares at me and sits up.

"Good morning," he says back. We look over at the others. They still aren't up yet. I flop back down, my hands behind my head.

"Well, I really don't know what to do," I admit. Link stands up, stretching.

"Come on, I want to show you something," he says. I follow him, unsure of what to do. He walks out of the inn and into Kakariko. Most of the town isn't awake yet. He walks over to a cucco and draws his sword. He raises it above his head.

"What are you doing!?" I hiss at him. He shrugs.

"Just watch," he says, hitting the chicken. It doesn't affect it. It just squawks and kind of flaps its wings. He keeps hitting it over and over again. Finally, it gets _angry._ It squawks very loudly, and suddenly a lot of cuccos appear out of nowhere. I stare at Link. He grabs my hand and begins to drag me towards the inn. "Run!" he shouts. I laugh, running alongside him. The cuccos are close on our tail, and it takes a moment to open the inn's door.

"It's jammed!" I tell him.

"Stand back," he says. I do as he says. He kicks it down and drags me back inside. We run up to the room where Ookami, Dark Link, and Midna are waiting for us. We're out of breath. They all stare at us, waiting for an explanation. "Cuccos," Link says simply. Ookami and Dark Link seem to understand. (Especially Dark Link, which frightens me. Does he do this often?)

"Do you do that for fun?" I ask Link. He shrugs.

"Yeah, pretty much," he admits.

"It's pretty fun, actually," Dark Link adds in.

"You do that too!?" I exclaim. He shrugs.

"It's better than having to rescue Dark Ganondorf from Dark Zelda…" he says. I think he's joking, but I'm really not sure…

"Well then. I think we've lost them," I say. Both of the Links laugh.

"Somehow I doubt that. The ones in the Twilight Realm are persistent," he says. I stare at them blankly. I really don't understand Dark Link. Link is simple-he likes chasing cuccos, sure, but he's not confusing and nearly as secretive. Dark Link, well, you can never really be sure of when he's joking.

"Well, I suppose we'd better get going if we're going to reach Kokiri," I say merrily. Midna starts to say something, but is promptly interrupted by screams outside. We run outside quickly, standing outside the inn. Link, Dark Link, and I all draw our swords. Ookami has her bow out, and Midna is at the ready. A black horse with a red mane and armor rears up on its hinds legs. It drops back down on all fours, and there sits Ganondorf on it. I frown, holding my sword tighter. Botan comes crawling out from behind the inn. Ganondorf rides his horse over to us calmly.

"I see you're back, little wench. Let's fix that," Ganondorf says. Before I can react, he grabs me by my hood and pulls me up on his horse. I try to fight-to punch him, but he just ignores me. He grabs Ookami as well, causing both Links to freak out.

"Let me go, you pig!" I cry out, squirming. Ookami seems to have done this before, and has stopped trying.

"Shut up, you little elf," he says harshly.

"Never!" I spit. I see it coming, but have no time to react. He hits me on the head-hard.

Chapter 9

I wake up wearily, my head pounding. It feels so terrible I might just throw up. I sit up, not sure where I am, exactly. I'm sitting on the floor of a dungeon, I suppose. I start to get up and walk around, but there are shackles on my hands and feet. I glance over to the corner, where I see a small, familiar lump wearing a pink shirt and brown skirt.

"Ookami!" I whisper-shout. She doesn't stir. "Ookami! Wake up!" I say a little louder. The guard outside the prison door doesn't seem to hear me. "OOKAMI" I shout. He must be deaf. Lucky for me, though, Ookami isn't. She looks up, her eyes looking exhausted. "You're awake! What happened?" I ask her. She takes a moment to actually wake up.

"Ganondorf kidnapped us. Do you realize that this is the second time he's done this to me?" she growls. "The guards are all deaf, so don't worry about being too loud unless Ganon comes down here," she says.

"Well, that's a good thing. How do we get out?" I ask.

"Last time, I had a whole wing of the castle to explore," she says. I look at her, confused.

"A whole wing? Wouldn't it be easier for Link to rescue you?" I inquire. I figure since Link has dealt with Ganondorf before, it would make it easier.

"He was dealing with Ghirahim. I'm not really sure how that turned out, exactly…" she admits. "So really, we just have to wait until the Links and Midna come to rescue us," she says, shrugging. I groan. Then, I get an idea.

"Or we could break out," I tell her. She frowns at the idea.

"How would we do that?"

"I have magic, you know," I remind her. Before she can react, I close my eyes, concentrating. It's not really that hard to find the magic this time. Soon, the chains are detached from the wall. I break Ookami's off as well. She sighs.

"Well, I guess we can try to get out, but they'll probably catch us," she reminds me. I shrug. I'm too lazy to deal with the guard, so I burst the door open and hit him on the head pretty hard.

"I didn't have the heart to kill him," I admit. Ookami frowns.

"Let's go-someone with ears will have heard that," she says, grabbing my arm. My shackles are still attached, so I blow those up, too. "Are you _trying _to get us caught?" I ignore her and run up the stairs. We start to walk right out the front door, but a creature shouts out something. We pick up the pace. I rip open the large doors. Ookami gets outside. A Redead Knight grabs me. Ookami looks back at me and begins to come back.

"No! Go get the others!" I shout to her, getting dragged back inside. The door slams. _I hope Ookami actually listens to me,_ I think to myself. I get dragged up a flight of stairs and thrown into a room. The door slams behind me. It's actually a very nice room, containing a plain dresser, a vanity, and a bed with a canopy. I look around the room closely, looking for an escape. There's a window, but when I look out of it, I'm too high up and there are too many guards scattered around below. All of my weapons seem to have been taken away from me. The door bursts open. For a hopeful moment, I think it's Link. It's actually Ganondorf. "Oh, Din! I was hoping that was Link. Not a pig," I yawn.

"Watch what you say, little witch. Where'd your friend go?" he asks.

"Away," I smirk. He doesn't say anything for a moment.

"Your food will come soon. Don't do anything rash or I'll put you in the same room as all my Redead Knights and Darknuts," he snaps.

"Ganondorf, why do you always kidnap people? Wouldn't it be easier to go sail to an island and claim it? You really need to stop trying to take over Hyrule," I tell him. Ganondorf starts to snarl at me, but turns out of the room and slams the door. I think I really got to him this time. I sit up on the bed and recline back. I wish he would have put some books or something to do in here. I get up, walking over to the vanity. I open one of the drawers, finding a sketch pad with a pencil. A familiar handwriting is on the front. _Zelda's Sketch Book_ it reads in fancy, cursive letters. I open it. Apparently the princess of Hyrule is a very good artist.

I take the pencil and paper to the bed and begin to write in it. I can't draw to save my life, but I do write a little note to the princess. Maybe she'll see this when she looks through her sketch book. I scribble some notes in it. My handwriting isn't nearly as good as her pretty cursive writing (in fact, it looks like cucco scratch compared to hers), but I've made it legible. The door opens for a slight moment, and a clawed hand slides a tray into the room and quickly shuts the door.

I grab the tray and look at what's on it. Nothing good, obviously. I get really bored. So I decide it's time to burst open the door. I concentrate and it blows to pieces. I run out and slide down the banister. It's a really nice castle.

"Get her!" A guard yells. I roll my eyes and pick up my speed. The front door of the castle has to be yanked open, and just as I'm getting there, more Darknuts surround me. I reach for my sword, but realize that it's not there. I'm dragged up the stairs again. This time, they drag me into the throne room, where Ganondorf sits at the organ, playing some kind of dark, depressing music. I sit down in the throne and wait for him to finish. I clap sarcastically when he does. He spins around, glaring at me. He stands up, his cape drifting behind him.

"You think this is funny, little witch? You think it'll be funny when all your friends are around to watch me stab you and finally kill you?" he asks, his voice filled with anger. My expression doesn't change. "I'll find it funny, that's for sure," he says, stooping over me. I cough, waving my hand in front of my face.

"Midna was right. You _do_ smell like bad breath," I choke. This gets him _really_ mad. He holds out his hand at a high part of the wall, and it explodes. That was _brick._ "That wasn't very nice…" I murmur.

"You think that's funny? Well let's see it happen to you and see if your friends can repair you then," he snarls. Ganondorf storms away from the throne, and sits down at the organ, playing yet another depressing, dark song. I sit in the throne comfortably, my legs dangling off the armrest and my head sitting on the other. It's a rather large throne. I look at my nails and clean the underneath of them. The hole that Ganondorf blew in the wall has made it awfully drafty in here, and I suddenly find myself wishing I had my green cloak back. Ganondorf seems to have made up his mind about me. He stands over me with his sword for a moment, and then decides against it.

"Make up your mind already," I sigh, my voice bored. Ganondorf comes flying over, his head close to mine, his eyes filled with anger and pure hatred. He starts to say something, but the door to the throne room gets _kicked_ open. That door is well over fifteen feet high.

"GET AWAY FROM HER, GANONDORF," Link shouts, drawing his Master Sword and storming angrily towards Ganon. And I though _Ganon_ could hate someone.

"Link! You talk!"

"Shut up, you filthy pig," he snarls, running towards him. Ganondorf moves out of the way. Link makes his way over to me, where I sit in the same position, legs dangling over the arm of the throne. "Are you alright, Miriam?" he asks, his blue eyes filled with worry. I stare back blankly. Botan hides behind Link. Then, I grin.

"Better than ever. Let's cream him," I say, bouncing up. Dark Link walks over, handing me my sword. We turn towards Ganondorf. "You've ticked us off, Ganon. Better watch your back," I tell him, stepping towards him. He backs up further.

"That's what you think," he laughs. Suddenly, he punches a stained-glass window and runs out of it. He's already gotten onto his black stallion and ridden away. Link looks over at me.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asks. I shrug.

"Have you seen my bags? They had my jars in them…" I murmur, looking around. Dark Link holds them up. I take them graciously. "Thanks," I say. I turn to Link. "I'm fine, really. Thank goddess you came in time. It looked like I was really making him mad," I laugh. Link frowns. He turns around so I can't see his expression.

"You really shouldn't make him mad, Miriam. He's dangerous," Link says. I stand up and put my hand on his shoulder. Botan oinks, but I ignore him.

"I'm sorry, Link. He's just so frustrating," I murmur, my hands clenching over his shoulder. He turns to look at me and smiles lightly.

"Well, at least you're okay. We'd better go after Ganondorf again," he sighs.

"Oh Link," I snicker. "You're probably so tired of chasing after him." He laughs.

"I suppose you're right," he says. I sheathe my sword over my shoulder and buckle my bag around my waist. We walk out of the castle for the second time in two days. This time, however, it doesn't look like we're going to be able to get away from the Castle Town people. They swarm around us, leaving no escape route.

"Got any ideas?" I shout to Link. He shakes his head, trying to get away from some woman who grabs his arm and sobs. I step between him and the lady. We can't get the people away from us. Finally, they all decide that they're throwing us a feast tonight in our honor. Then, the crowd pretty much disperses, with the exception of some serious fans. Finally, someone offers us a place to stay in Castle Town. We can't really refuse, since we have to stay in the town for the feast tonight. The woman is rather fat, and owns a large house, like a mansion.

"Oh my! You need a dress!" she says in a high-pitched voice. I look over at Ookami.

"Actually, we both need dresses," I admit. I cringe at this. I've never really enjoyed wearing dresses.

"Dresses!" Ookami smiles. It looks like Ookami really likes dresses. The old woman looks us over for a moment.

"I have the perfect things for you. I actually used to own a dress store. My daughter owns it now, but I still have a few in here…" she murmurs, digging around in a wardrobe. Finally, she pulls out two dresses and shoves them at us, telling us to put them on. I walk into the empty bedroom she's letting me stay in. I pull the blue dress over my head and walk out. The woman shakes her head. "Here, you need the accessories," she tells me, handing me shoes and gloves the same shade as the dress. I pull on the gloves and shoes. I look in the mirror. The dress is a deep blue color, with the matching shoes and gloves. I walk out, nearly stumbling in the shoes.

"Th-thanks, ma'am," I murmur. She shakes her head, laughing.

"We're not done yet!" she laughs, pulling out a bag. She puts stuff all over my face, and then fixes my hair so it's not always in my eyes. She puts a sapphire colored ribbon in it. The ribbon flows into my hair, making look like it's part of me. Whatever she put on my face makes me look much less tired, and hides my sunburns. "You're beautiful!" she laughs.

"M-my goddess, ma'am. I don't know how to th-thank you," I stutter, blushing. She snickers at me.

"No need to, darling. Now, get out so I can fix Ookami up!" she chuckles, kicking me out. I sit outside the door on a bench, petting Botan. Soon, I'm welcomed back in. Ookami wears a light pink dress that's slightly poofy. I smile at her. Her hair is braided back into some fancy style.

"You look great!" I smile.

"You too!" Ookami beams, her face lighting up. The old woman starts to run out of the room.

"I must start on the men!" she says, rushing out. Ookami and I sit on the bed, waiting. After a while, the old woman comes back in.

"Link and Dark Link are already at the feast," the woman smiles. "They've turned it into a ball, really. I'm sure Agatha will be happy," the woman chortles. "Who was that mysterious woman downstairs? She has some funny looking complexion. She's black and white with little blue swirls," she explains

"Woman? You mean imp?" I ask her. She shakes her head.

"I mean a woman with orange hair. She was wearing a beautiful black dress, too. She's probably still down there," she says. Ookami and I look at each other and then rush down the stairs. Midna turns around, in her full form.

"I can occasionally transform into this form, rather than to be cursed with that imp form. It's easier to travel that way," she explains. She's wearing a very plain, but gorgeous black dress.

"You're gorgeous, Midna!" I exclaim, hugging her. She's _tall._

"All right, all right, let's go to this feast and get it over with," Midna groans.

"Did you happen to see the Links?" Ookami asks. I see what she's asking. Midna's grin widens.

"Yes, actually. But I won't tell you how they look," she teases. Ookami and I beg her a lot, but she just refuses to tell. We start to walk to the town square, where there's a large crowd of people. I look around for Link and Dark Link, but I can't seem to find them. A short man strolls up to us.

"If you'll stand back here, please, we'd like to introduce you when you come in," the man says, making us back up. With nothing better to do, we oblige. Finally, as the sun starts to set, the feast is about to begin. A light (who knows where it comes from) shines on the Castle Town Square. "Announcing the Twilight Princess, Midna!" a large cheer erupts from the crowd, and Midna walks through. "The Duchess of Ostwyn, Ookami!" he says. Ookami and I look around blankly. Midna beckons to Ookami, and she walks forward, confused. I guess they think she's the Duchess of a land called Ostwyn. "And the bearer of the Triforce of Balance, Miriam!" he says. I step forward, the light too bright for me. We make our way to a table reserved for us. It's circular, which is nice, because I don't have to socialize with anyone but the people I know.

"The Duchess of Ostwyn!?" Ookami exclaims to Midna. She shrugs.

"You had to be something, and it's not like anyone would care about you, since you're not exactly a princess or anything. No one's going to be looking for a Duchess from a small land they've never heard of," Midna explains. Ookami sighs impatiently.

"Oh my goddess…" I let out. I've caught sight of Link and Dark Link. They're wearing tuxedos. Whoever got them into those, I will gladly bless. That must have been a miracle. We look at them. They haven't caught sight of us yet, though.

"Miriam? Ookami? Midna?" Link calls out. I hide my face, suddenly a little nervous.

"Over here!" Midna yells back. He follows the sound of her voice. I start to slink away into the crowd so I'm hidden. Dark Link spots Ookami and immediately smiles, something he rarely does.

"Y-you're beautiful," he murmurs to her. I hide behind someone, pretending to play hide-and-seek. Midna stands there, pouting. "You look great too, Midna," he laughs. Link looks around, frowning.

"Where's Miriam?" he asks, looking horribly uncomfortable.

"Why? Do you want to tell her how beautiful she is?" Midna teases. Link turns a little red.

"Well I can't tell her she's pretty if I can't find her," he points out. Midna reaches into the crowd and grabs my hand, then pulls me out, forcing me to stand in front of Link. I feel horribly ashamed in a dress, especially since it has no sleeves. The gloves make up for it, but still… I look at the ground, not saying anything. Midna walks away, socializing with some other people. Link hasn't said anything. I keep staring at the ground, memorizing the mosaic tiles. "M-Miriam… You're…" he stutters.

"Wearing a dress. I know," I say flatly.

"Well, you are," he chuckles. "But you're also very beautiful," he says graciously. I look up, my face turning Din's fire red.

"Th-thanks. You look really g-good in a tux, L-Link," I murmur. He smiles, just as uncomfortable. He pulls the chair out for me, and I sit down, thanking him. He takes the seat next to me with Ookami on my other side.

"So, how about some food?" Midna jokes.

Chapter 10

The feast is a feast, that's for sure. There's so much food that you could stuff a pig as big as Ganon. I can't eat much more than a few appetizers. I sit uncomfortably, looking at my hands in my lap. Ookami tries to get me to socialize, but being in a dress is really difficult. I look at Link. Not only is he wearing a tux, but he's not wearing his hat. His hair is ruffled, and someone clearly tried to brush it back. He seems too nervous to eat, too.

"Did Madame Moreau give you that dress?" Link asks, clearly trying to make conversation.

"Who?" I ask him. He laughs.

"The woman whose house we're staying at," he explains. I smile.

"Yes, actually. She said her daughter is a dress maker, so she gave Ookami and me dresses," I tell him. As long as I'm not sitting in an awkward silence, I'm okay with talking. A question pops into my mind. "Say, do you think that there's a dark version of me? Like there's a Dark Zelda, Ganondorf, and you, but do you think there's one of me?" I ask. Link almost immediately knows the answer.

"You see, the dark version of the Triforce is like the back of it. The front is gold-the light people-and the back of that gold is the dark side. If you're the center of it, you would represent both. In other words, you still feel it if two members of the Dark Triforce touch each other. So no, there is no dark version of you," he says. This comforts me slightly, though it would have been cool if I could see what I would look like as a member of the Dark Triforce.

"I'll have to tell Ookami. She was curious, too," I remark, smiling. Whatever band is playing starts to play a more upbeat song. Link stands up and holds his hand out.

"Would you like to dance?" he asks. _Oh for the Goddess Nayru! I have to dance!? _I stand up and take his gloved hand in mine.

"I suppose," I smile. _I don't know how to dance!_ I panic. "But I'm not really a good dancer," I warn him.

"Well you never were, but neither am I, so I guess we'll just have to learn from our mistakes, huh?" he remarks. I don't really know what the first part of the statement was about, but I ignore it. We walk over to a section of the square where everyone else is dancing. He holds my hand and places his other hand on my waist. I put my hand on his shoulder. He leads.

"I thought you couldn't dance!" I exclaim.

"I thought you couldn't dance, either," he teases. Link twirls me around and does a bunch of fancy things. I really don't know what's going on here. I just like watching my dress twirl around when he spins me. My feet begin to get sore, but the song finally ends. We walk back over to the table, where I sit back down. Link offers to dance with Midna as well. Dark Link and Ookami are dancing along.

"Are you a Deku nut? Because you're stunning me," a voice says. I spin around, and there's a guy sitting in Link's chair next to me. He has dusty brown hair and green eyes. He wears a tuxedo, just like most of the men here. I blush.

"Why thank you, sir," I giggle.

"You must be Miriam, the famous center of the Triforce," the guy smiles. I nod.

"That's me! And you are…?"

"I'm Favian, just the average Castle Townsman," he smiles. We begin to talk about the weather, the feast, and Ganondorf. "I hear he's giant, with red hair and yellow eyes," Favian remarks. I nod.

"Well that's right. And he smells like bad breath," I say honestly. By now Link has swapped with Dark Link and is dancing with Ookami. A sting of jealousy hits me, but goes away when I look back at Favian. Favian laughs at my remark.

"Would you like to dance?" he asks. My feet scream no, but I accept anyway. We walk over to the section of the square, which is already filling up with people dancing.

"I'm not a great dancer," I admit. He shrugs, leading me. Well apparently Favian is an excellent dancer, because I can hardly keep up. It's not as fun as dancing with Link, but he's really funny. He makes several jokes about Ganondorf that I can't help but laugh at. We dance and dance and dance. I'm starting to get a little better with Favian teaching me.

"You're getting better by the minute," he tells me, dipping me. I look at him, his face awfully close to mine. He tips me back up. I realize that we're closer than we were before, but I really can't fix that problem. Lucky for me, the song ends. I turn away, blushing. He holds my hand back to the table. _Well this is awkward,_ I think to myself. He kindly sits me down, and I realize that Ookami, Link, Dark Link, and Midna are already sitting at the table. They stare at me blankly.

"Th-thanks, Favian," I murmur. He walks away to go talk to someone else.

"Who was _that!?" _Midna asks, curious. I sigh.

"Just a Castle Townsman. He asked me to dance and we talked. That's all," I murmur, looking at my hand. Link gets up and walks away without saying a word. I look at the other three. "What…?"

"He's just a little mad that you danced with someone else. Maybe he thought you were flirting or something," Dark Link explains. _Well I was flirting with the guy,_ I think to myself.

"Well, should I go after him?" I ask, standing up. They all nod at me. I sigh, walking after Link. _So high maintenance, _I catch myself thinking. I can feel myself getting a little angrier by every footstep. I finally find him standing on a balcony in a house. I walk in and storm up the stairs. No one's there, so I don't have to worry about disturbing anyone but Link. He doesn't react to me. I touch his shoulder and turn him around, angry. "What was that about!?" I snap. He stares at me, alarmed by my anger, I suppose. Link looks away from me and over the balcony again.

"You were dancing with someone else," he murmurs.

"So what? I can dance with other people, you know. You danced with Ookami and Midna," I remind him, seething with rage. Link turns around, suddenly just as annoyed.

"There's a difference, Miriam! I danced with _friends._ You danced with the Castle Town player," he says. I stare at him.

"What? The Castle Town _what?"_ I ask. I'm suddenly enraged that he would call Favian that. Link stares down at me.

"Everyone knows he's the Castle Town player! He flirts with every girl. It's like his goal in life. I'm sure he used that age-old Deku Nut joke and then mentioned the weather and the feast. Then he went into talking about something that happened to you recently, like you getting kidnapped. Then he smoothly asked you to dance and 'taught' you how," Link retorts. I stare at him, shocked.

"I was just trying to have a good time. Do you really think I knew that?" I cry. Link frowns at me and walks away from the balcony, saying nothing. "Get back over here, Link!" I yell to him, but I don't chase after him. I stand on the balcony for a while, and watch Link go back to the square. I watch several people pass by with fancy suits and dresses. I spot Favian with another girl on his arm. I sigh, my head spinning with thoughts. When the feast starts to calm down a little, I head back to the square. I keep my head down so others can't see me. I feel the magic building up inside of me.

"Oh! Can I get your autograph?" a woman asks. I sign whatever paper she hands me and head on. Many people try to talk to me, but the pressure is finally sinking in. For the first time since I was a child, there are tears streaming down my cheeks.

"Miriam!" I hear Ookami's voice yell out. I lift up my dress and begin to run through the crowd. I walk into the mansion and grab my sword and bags. I look around, making sure no one saw me. Then, I dash out of Castle Town and into Hyrule Field. I try to run away. I don't know where I'm going, but I keep trying to run in this stupid dress. I trip and land on my knees. I cry, my head in my hands. The sound of a Bulblin sends me spinning around with my sword unsheathed. I kill the Bulblin and continue sobbing. I don't even hear the sound of footsteps from behind me. An object kneels beside me. The smell of woods and grass comes over me. It takes everything I can to keep my magic from blowing him up.

"Go away, Link," I snap, not looking up. He sits down on the grass next to me.

"I prefer Lark or Dark Link, actually," he remarks. I look up, and realize I'm looking at Dark Link.

"Alright, fine, go away, Lark," I murmur, picking at the grass. Another Bulblin sound reaches my ears. Without looking, I release the magic. The cry of a Bulblin and a rather large explosion makes me feel better.

"People should really be warned before they make you mad," Dark Link teases.

"Watch it," I snarl at him. He sighs, sitting there. The tears have stopped coming, but my face still feels wet and my eyesight is still a little blurry.

"I have something that will make you feel better. I hope…" Lark murmurs. I look at him, still frowning.

"I doubt it." I stare at the field and blow up another Bulblin. Dark Link cringes.

"I think it will. Or maybe it will confuse you more. You can't tell anyone that I'm the one who told you, though," Lark says. I wipe the tears from my eyes.

"Okay, what is it?" I sigh. He makes me look at him straight in the eye. I try to, though I'm so tired it's hard to not just fall asleep.

"You remember when you died in Ganondorf's castle?" he asks, scratching the back of his head.

"Of course," I growl. Dark Link sighs, and I can tell he's really not supposed to tell me.

"Well, uh…" This is getting awkward. What? Is he going to tell me that he told Ookami that he loves her? I inwardly laugh at my joke, but don't let on outside. "Link said he loved you," he blurts out.

"_What," _I say. I don't ask it. I say it. I stare at Dark Link. He stares back, then turns away.

"I probably shouldn't have said anything," he admits. I say it again.

"_What."_

"He said he loved you," Dark Link says. "You were dead and he was sobbing over you-"

"Link _sobbing?" _I exclaim.

"Yes, Link was sobbing over your dead body and the first thing that came out of his mouth was those words. He kept saying them over and over again. Then he called for Farore and she granted his wish. Please don't tell them I said anything," Dark Link rambles. I stare at him, still not sure what to say or do.

"Well that's… Interesting…" I murmur. _And suddenly a lot of things are changed._ I glance over at Dark Link, who has stood up. He offers to help me up. "Thanks for telling me that," I say. He nods.

"No problem. Now let's go back to that feast and have a good time, shall we?" Lark says. I nod and follow him back to Castle Town. I sit down and realize I've forgotten to take off my sword and bags. I take them off and put them under the table. Everyone sits in an awkward silence for a while. Link still seems a little upset. I squirm around in my seat. I'm really not sure what to do. For the love of Nayru, I'm not even sure what to _think. _I catch a quick glance at Link, who also looks at me. I blush and look down again. _You're still mad at him, remember? _I remind myself. But what Lark told me makes me think otherwise. _No wonder why he seemed relieved when I told him I didn't remember anything._ A lot of things start to really connect. Something touches my legs, making me hop right up and yell out. Quite a few people look over and stare. I blush and look down. Botan is rubbing against my legs. I don't know _how_ he got here. I smile weakly at him and pat his head, then slip him a piece of meat. He happily eats it, then nuzzles me.

"We'd better get back and get some sleep," Dark Link suggests. We all nod, not in the mood to argue more. I grab my sword and bags and make Botan follow me. He snorts happily, skipping along. Many people stare at him, but I _really couldn't care less._ Today has been really, really long. I was kidnapped, saved, transformed into a pretty little princess, and then had an emotional breakdown after dancing. I'm in a total daze the entire time we're walking to the mansion, and I go inside and flop down on the bed.

"You have to change, you know," Ookami reminds me. I nod, sitting up. I take out the bow, wash off my face, take off my gloves and shoes, and change into my usual outfit. Then, I lie down on the bed. I don't even both crawling under the covers. It's the first bed I've slept on in quite a while.

_"Don't think it ends here," the familiar voice says. _

_ "Go away, Ganondorf," I snap, not able to see. _

_ "Watch what you say, little witch!" Ganon snarls. The sound of Link's screams pierce my ears and make me want to cry again. _

_ "Stop!" I yell. The sound of his screams ends. _

_ "Or maybe you'd prefer this one…" Ganondorf cackles. The sound of a small, frightened girl reaches my ears. _Ookami. _I reach my hands out into the dark, searching for Ganondorf. "You won't find me, witch," he laughs cruelly._

_ "I'm coming for you, Ganondorf. You can't hide from us. You will die. We will kill you," I growl. My fists clench in anger. _

_ "How are you going to stop me, Miriam?" he spits. I cringe when he says my name. "Now that elf boy has done it. I'll kill him," Ganondorf says, more to himself. "Tell him I've got his beautiful little princess." Ganondorf has Zelda!?_

_ "But you don't," I say. _

_ "Let me show you the proof," Ganondorf laughs. The pain paralyzes my entire body, and I realize that I'm not even able to wake up. My heart races like crazy, and every time I breathe, it feels like knives are stabbing me. My ribs feel like they're caving in, my fingers sting, and my legs ache. I can feel my heartbeat on every part of me. My spine feels like it's shrinking. The pain won't stop. It's too strong. I would pass out, but I'm already asleep. Ganondorf laughs, but over the sound of my throbbing, I can't really hear it. I can't wake up. I'm trapped. The pain is killing me. _

Chapter 11

I can't move. That's the first thing I learn. The pain has washed away, and I'm clearly awake, but I can't seem to get a hold of my body. I can hear voices, though.

"She won't wake up. She can't move," Ookami's voice murmurs. I can hear pacing on the other side of my bed. I struggle to move my fingers, but I cannot.

"I hope it wears off. What do you think happened?" Dark Link asks. I figure Ookami shrugs, though I can't see it. Whoever's pacing around is driving me crazy. Two people walk over to my bed side. "It's killing Link," Lark adds, so quiet I can barely hear it.

"Why does he think it's his fault?" Ookami whispers.

"He blames himself for everything. It's just something we do. If you can save a princess from an all powerful being, but you can't wake a person up, then it's suddenly your fault," he explains.

"But it's not any of our faults… I don't think…" Ookami murmurs. The person keeps pacing. Another voice speaks up.

"Pacing won't help, you know," Madame Moreau reminds the person. The person stops, but then goes back to it. I try to open my eyes, but it really doesn't work. Ookami touches my hand. At least, I think it's Ookami. I can't think of any else. She squeezes it, but I still can't move it. I try to speak, but no words come out.

"I hope she wakes up soon…" Ookami says. _I am awake!_ I want to shout.

"No kidding. We've got to get going soon," Midna says. Considering I don't hear her footsteps, I assume she's back in her imp form. I try to make a noise, but nothing comes out. I really want to move around, but I can't.

"Where are we going after this?" Dark Link asks.

"Kokiri, like we decided," Midna remarks.

"Don't you think we should stick around Castle Town to make sure that Ganondorf won't come back here?" Ookami asks.

"He wouldn't dare. That big oaf is probably at his own castle. We'll go back to Kokiri Forest and see if we can find out anything over there. There's no use trying to hunt him down right now," Midna explains. I move my finger, but I don't think Ookami noticed. She's probably too busy making lovey-dovey faces at Dark Link. Ew. The pacing continues. I'm finally able to open my mouth just a tad.

"Do you think we'll find anything over there?" Ookami inquires gently.

"Probably not," Midna admits. Dark Link moves around.

"Look, wasn't her mouth closed a moment ago?" he comments. I can hear everyone stooping over me. Whoever's pacing doesn't stop, though. I move my fingers again. This time, Ookami can feel it.

"She moved her fingers! Can you hear us, Miriam?" she asks. I move my fingers some more. They prop me against the headboard. "Can you open your eyes?" she asks. I can't really answer that, so I move my fingers again. My nerves are finally awakening, and I can move my toes and my mouth more. I open my eyes. "You're awake!" Ookami laughs. They make a wall around me, blocking me from seeing just about anything.

"Can you get up yet?" Dark Link asks. I stare at him. The feeling in my face comes back, then my legs, my arms, and finally, my neck. I wiggle around, trying to loosen up my muscles. I can finally move around. They give me some room. I look over at Madame Moreau. I realize that Link was the one pacing. We stare at each other. He's back in his green outfit, his hat sitting over his ruffled hair. I don't know what to say. _He said he loves me, but does he now that we've fought?_

"Come on, we've got to get moving," Midna remarks. Botan stirs up from his spot in the corner.

"What happened?" Ookami asks, helping me up. I sigh.

"What do you think? It's like every time I sleep: he comes and tortures me. Gosh I want to kill that little pig…" I murmur. "This time, he wouldn't let go. It hurt so much. And I couldn't wake up, so every time the pain got too great, I couldn't pass out, I just had to manage it. I woke up, but couldn't move." Ookami looks at me, her eyes worried. I stand up and shake myself off, then call for Botan. He trots over and nuzzles me again. I turn to Madame Moreau. "Thank you so much for the dress and your hospitality," I smile.

"It was my pleasure. Please, visit any time. I don't get many guests," she says. We exit Castle Town and enter Hyrule Field. I wrap my cloak around me, putting the hood up to annoy Link. If he won't talk to me, then I'll just do as many things to annoy him as I can. Link helps me up on Epona, but not with the smile he usually gives me. Ookami spots my cloak and frowns at me. Link sets off at a gallop, and I'm forced to hold on tightly. Botan can keep up pretty well and seems to enjoy running. We keep riding until noon, when I find that we're back at the field we were at before. I hop off Epona.

"Recognize this?" Ookami jokes. I nod, remembering the picture perfect scene. She and I separate from the group a little ways. "Hey, if you don't mind me asking, what's with you and Link…?" she asks. I sigh.

"He was mad at me for dancing with the Castle Town player. But I really didn't know about it," I say honestly. "And then we kind of got on each other's nerves. Like me pulling my cloak back on," I explain. Ookami nods, understanding.

"Poor guy probably doesn't know what's going on, though. I mean, he's so confused," Ookami says. I stare at her.

"How do you know all of this? Was there some sort of meeting I missed while I was asleep?" I growl, angry. Ookami looks taken aback.

"W-well no. I just think he's probably a little confused. I mean, he nearly lost you, then you get kidnapped, and then you're all fancy looking, and then you dance with him, and then you dance with some other guy, which makes him a little jealous, not to mention that it was the Castle Town player, which probably made him angrier. Maybe he thought you knew that's what Favian was," Ookami rambles. I stare at her. Well, it's kind of true. But I didn't do _anything_ wrong.

"He's the one who stormed off!" I exclaim.

"But you're the one who yelled at him for doing that. It probably hurt his pride that you were flirting with someone. You should probably apologize," she remarks. I stare at her.

"Fine. I'll apologize," I murmur. This entire little argument between the two of us is driving me crazy and so is this cloak. We make our way back to the tree, where Midna naps. Link washes Epona off again. It's like it was before. Midna napping, me wearing my cloak, the Links washing their horses. Link catches sight of me and walks up to us. Ookami makes herself scarce.

"I'm sorry," we say in unison. We laugh.

"I'm really sorry, Link," I tell him. He smiles at me.

"I'm sorry, Miriam. I shouldn't have gotten mad. You didn't know," he says. Then he frowns and unbuttons the cloak, taking it. I giggle.

"And I'm sorry for putting the cloak back on. That was really immature," I laugh. He grins and drags me over to the stream. I stare at him, confused. He splashes me. "Hey!" I cry, shielding myself from the water. I take one of my jars, fill it with water, and pour it on his head. We run around, splashing each other and rolling around in the stream. I fall back on the plush grass. Link sits down next to me, staring at the sky.

"So you really didn't know about Favian?" Link asks.

"How could I? I've never really ventured out of Kokiri Forest," I remind him. He nods, still not saying anything. He glances over at me, smiles, then gets up, shaking himself off.

"We'd better get moving," he says, holding out his hand to help me. I take it graciously and stand up. I gather up my green cloak from the ground, shake it off, and tuck it back into my bag. Link helps me back onto Epona, and we start back towards Kokiri Forest. I hold tightly to him this time, not because Epona is going too quickly, but because I want to. Soon, however, I'm back to my old habits. With the steady rhythm of Epona's stride, the smell of grass and trees from Link, and the fact that I'm really tired, I fall asleep easily.

»•§•«

I wake up, recognizing exactly where I am. I also realize that someone has moved me again, because I'm not on Epona anymore. I sit up, glad to be back in my tree house.

"You're like a cat," Ookami laughs, handing me a plate of something that smells delicious. I happily eat it, not asking what it is. "You nap all the time," she giggles. I really haven't been listening to her. I look around at my home. Everything is how I left it. Except for the candle in the corner, which has burned down to a post. I get up and throw it out.

"It's great to be back home," I grin, stretching out on my bed. I look up at the little paper stars I put above my bed as a child. I modeled them just like the stars outside. The ones right over my head make up Orion's Belt. I smile at it.

"It's really nice to be back at Kokiri Forest. I didn't realize that this was your tree house. I used to pass by here every once in a while," Link admits.

"Did you ever get hit with my leaf darts?" I ask him shyly. When I was a kid, whenever someone would walk by outside, I would lean outside my window and drop little leaf darts on them. At some point, I actually set it up so they fired automatically. Saria helped me, of course. I can't invent something to save my life.

"That's what they were!?" he exclaims, laughing. "I almost always felt something hit my head, and when I looked around, nothing was there." I'm too busy cracking up to really hear him.

"I never knew I actually hit someone! Saria helped me set it up and everything," I giggle. Talking about my childhood to someone who understands is a great feeling. I don't remember much of my childhood. Just the fact that I was raised by Saria, and the occasional memory of some other Kokiri children. Dark Link sits in one of the oak chairs.

"Where are we heading next?" he asks, unamused. I stare back at him.

"Well we can't just come here without saying hello to Mido," Link grins. I grin back, remembering the annoying little twerp who used to tease me all the time. That jerk would take my hat and hide it away. I used to be like every other Kokiri child, always wearing green and having the occasional hat or hair piece. Then I realized I really wasn't a Kokiri. So I decided I didn't have to look like one, and I switched out my green clothes for some blue ones. I give Link a quick high-five.

"Poor kid is going to be so confused when you speak," I snicker. I hop up, grabbing my green cloak and bags. "Let's go torment him," I suggest, starting to walk out the door. The others follow. There is a lengthy walk before you get to the actual Kokiri Village. I like it out here, since it's so quiet and desolate. Everyone stares at us as we walk into town. Mido comes dashing outside his tree house, already red from anger and confusion.

"Found Mido," Ookami says, leaning over.

"What do you think you're doing here!?" Mido yells, angry. I stoop over to see him properly, then pull back my hood.

"I'm home," I grin. His face turns white. Then he looks up at Link and Dark Link. It becomes whiter.

"Say, Mido, what was that about not accepting me as one of you?" Link grins. This pushes Mido off the edge. He turns red, then a funny shade of purple.

"Watch it, Mr. No Fairy! I'll kick you out of here if I have to!" he threatens. I raise my eyebrows.

"Actually, if I remember correctly, the Great Fairy loves me, and I actually did get a fairy. Lucky for me she didn't stay, but Navi was most definitely my fairy. You weren't very nice to me, Mido," Link says. "And now I have a Master Sword and friends who are all bigger than you. What are you going to say to that?" Mido bites his lip, thinking about it. Then, he comes to his senses (for once).

"W-welcome home," he says, moving out of the way. We walk through Kokiri forest, bringing back old memories of the Know-It-All-Brothers, the shop, and the Deku Tree.

"Can we leave now?" Midna asks, clearly bored. Link and I both sigh, slightly upset, but we know it's time to leave. We say good-bye to everyone and start walking out of the village. I hug Link. He laughs.

"What was that for?"

"For making Mido turn different colors," I grin, letting go. I turn around and do a back flip like Link taught me. I congratulate myself, practically skipping back to my tree house. I crawl up the ladder at lightning fast speed. "Anyone up for some real food?" I ask them, waltzing over to my fireplace. I know it's not a great idea to install a fireplace in a tree house, but I didn't have any other way to cook. I glance behind me, finding something nuzzling me. Someone brought Botan into the tree house. I stare at them. "Who brought Botan in!?" I ask them, still frowning. Ookami raises her hand.

"When is your birthday, Miriam?" she asks calmly. I stare at her.

"I don't know," I tell her. It's sometime in the winter, and it's autumn now.

"No really, Miriam. When's your birthday?"

"Winter," I say, not saying any specific day. I ignore any further questions by stirring the stew on the stove. I add random ingredients to it, realizing that there's probably not many things on my shelves that are okay to eat. I dump most of it in. The smell is really gross, so I add as much cheese and cinnamon as I can. Those will mask any other flavor. I hand them all their bowls of soup. The sniff it, figuring it's safe, since it just smells like cheese or cinnamon.

"So where are we going next?" Midna asks, stirring her soup. I take a sip, used to the taste of cheese and cinnamon. We all ponder where to go next.

"How about Ordon?" I suggest, glancing at Link. The Hero of Time blushes.

"My house isn't clean," he admits. I laugh.

"And mine is?" I say, motioning to the mess we're sitting in. They all eat their soups, although I notice none of them finish it. I begin to cook some _real_ food, handing that to them instead. "This will taste better, I promise," I giggle. "Sorry, but that soup was kind of throwing everything into one thing." They all eat the meat graciously, and this time, they eat it all.

"I guess we could go to Ordon for a while," Link comments. "Botan would have a blast, and I'm sure there would be something for all of us. Not to mention that Fado probably needs my help at the ranch."

"So it's decided, then. We'll stay here for a while then go to Ordon, right?" I smile. The others seem to agree. I start to set up beds for all of them. Ookami sleeps on my bed, I give Link Saria's old bed, set up an extra bed for Dark Link, Midna floats, and I sleep on the floor next to Ookami. I can't really sleep, though. The thought of Link and I keeps going through my head. I realize that everyone pairs Princess Zelda with Link. They all expect the two of them to get married after this. It causes me pain to think about it, but I force the thoughts out of my head and concentrate on sleeping. For once, I have normal dreams.

Chapter 12

"Come on, Miriam. If we're going to get to Ordon by sunset, we'll have to start leaving now," Link's voice says. I stir, rubbing my eyes.

"We're stopping by the place where Zelda's in hiding," Midna pipes in. I stare at her blankly. Clearly, I was the last one up, and the last one warned of the plans for the day. Dark Link takes my arm and drags me off the floor roughly.

"Careful there, mister," I snarl (I'm not much of a morning person). "I'm the center of the Triforce. Do anything to me and see if your world doesn't come crashing down," I say.

"The age-old part of the Triforce bit, huh?" Link teases. "Aren't you a little old for that one?"

"I never knew it growing up, so I may as well try it now. It suits me rather well, don't you think?" I smirk. I gather a few more of my things, and we walk out the door. This time, however, I lock the door. I really don't like the idea of Bulblins getting a hold of my stuff, no matter how cheap it is. Link gives me a funny look. "What?" I ask him.

"Nothing. You just never lock your door," he says. I stare at him.

"How would you know?" I laugh. He shrugs and scratches his head. It's too early to think at the moment, so I stand next to Epona.

"Would you like to steer?" he asks me. I frown, thinking it over.

"N-not really. I'd rather ride Botan," I giggle, patting my Bullbo. He snorts. Link hops onto Epona, offering his hand as usual. I take it graciously.

"Whatever you want, princess," he teases. I stick my tongue out at him and hold on tightly.

"The only princess you'll be seeing today is Zelda. And, of course, let's not forget Midna," I laugh, glancing over at the angry imp. She doesn't seem like such a morning person, either. Ookami isn't even awake at the moment. She's dead asleep already. Dark Link is giving her a piggy back ride. He somehow manages to hoist her up onto Geno without disturbing her. We ride for quite a while. Ookami doesn't wake up for the longest time. She seems perfectly content on sleeping. Botan keeps up rather well. For a baby Bullbo, he's pretty fast. I don't know what's come across me, but it comes out of my mouth before I can take the words back. "So why don't you and Zelda get married?" _Oh my goddess. Did I really just blurt that out? _Link says nothing. I sigh. "I can't believe that just came out of my mouth," I frown. I suddenly feel the urge to cry of embarrassment. "I'm sorry-" Link stops me with a wave of his hand.

"You're fine. And, honestly, I like Zelda, I really do. The princess is nice and all, but people keep fantasizing us together. We don't know each other that well. I really don't stick around long enough for us to talk. I usually go right back to Ordon or Kokiri Forest after I rescue her. It's just part of my job," he admits. I nod, taking it all in. Relief washes over me. "She's nothing more than a friend. You'll see today," he smiles. _Well that's a relief._ _But that doesn't make this conversation any less awkward. _I try to find a way out of the conversation.

"Th-that's cool," I murmur, not really able to say anything else. Link seems to sense my discomfort. We stop by a small creek, though we need to hurry if we're going to reach Ordon by nightfall. Ookami picked more apples, I presume, because she pulls them out of her bag again. I take one, realizing I didn't have breakfast. We ride for a while longer, until Link slows down. We're in the middle of nowhere, and the place gives me the creeps. He slides off Epona. I watch him, not dismounting her. I slide up in the saddle, holding onto the reins.

"What are you doing?" Ookami asks, voicing what we were all thinking.

"Visiting the princess," Link says, touching a tree. He's gone nuts. Absolutely nuts. He's _touching trees. _Like they're some kind of hint as to where we're supposed to go. "It's around here somewhere…" he murmurs. "Ah! Here it is!" he presses onto the wood. For a moment, I start thinking I should probably make him take a nap or something, but then the tree starts moving. "Ladies first," he says coolly, motioning to a hidden door under a tree root. I slide off of Epona and cautiously look at it.

"Like Alice in Wonderland…" I hear Ookami murmur. I stare at her.

"You say the funniest things," I tell her.

"Well, saying that you traveled with the Hero of Time and his shadow isn't something you could say in my world," she comments. I start moving towards the hole.

"Go ahead. Nothing to be afraid of," Link says. I close my eyes and let myself fall. I slide down a long, narrow hole that seems to last forever. Finally, when I stop moving, I open my eyes. Lots of sharp, pointy objects are aimed at my head.

"Something to be afraid of!" I yell back up. Ookami comes sliding down. Then Dark Link. _Great. We look like we're attacking,_ I think to myself.

"Who are you and what do you want?" a Sheikah asks. I stare at him.

"We're just visiting the princess! We're with Link, I swear," I explain. Looks like I'm going to be the one doing the talking. Ookami is busy hiding behind Dark Link, and the shadow knows he's not going to get anywhere if he speaks. _Where are Link and Midna?_ "Wh-what's your name?" I ask them. The Sheikah huffs rather loudly.

"Sheik," he answers. Ookami gasps. I sigh. Now is really not the time for one of her realizations. Sheik stares at us. "I'll be right back," he says gruffly, leaving us with another Sheikah. Sheik disappears. _Where the heck is Link!?_ Something hits me in the back. I panic out of habit but realize it's just Midna.

"Midna! Thank goddess! Where's Link?" I ask her. She sighs.

"He's coming," she says. She glances over at the other Sheikah and hits her forehead with her palm. "Impa, it's been a while," she says, a sharp tone in her voice. Impa frowns further, though I didn't know that was really possible. Her face has hatred written all over it.

"You two don't really get along, do you…?" Dark Link says. I sigh at him.

"Honestly? No," Midna replies bluntly. A sound from the hallway makes us turn around. Princess Zelda looks gorgeous. Her brown hair is braided, her dress is completely clean, and her eyes sparkle at us.

"Miriam! Welcome," she smiles. "Midna, it's nice to see you again. Along with Ookami and Dark Link. How are you?" she asks, still smiling. I curtsey as well as I can to her. "No need, Miriam. I should be thanking you. You're helping rid us of Ganondorf. Perhaps this time he'll stay dead," she murmurs, her eyes squinting in rage for a moment. _Well, don't mess with the princess when she's mad,_ I think, making a mental note. "Where's Link?" Zelda clearly tries to say this casually, but her voice is uneven with excitement.

"He's coming. Who knows what he's doing," I laugh, shaking my head. A sound behind us makes me turn. "Speak of the demon," I say. Link lands on his feet and smiles at the princess.

"Link!" she says. She walks towards him quickly. _This is going to hurt,_ I think. I don't want to be the one to stop her. The princess hugs Link, sending me into shocks of pain. I try to hide it, although if someone actually saw my face, they'd know otherwise. My breathing becomes labored, and I end up sitting down. Impa looks at me strangely, but at the moment, all I can think about is relieving the pain. My head spins and my eyes begin to water with a burning sensation. _That pain isn't nearly as bad as the emotional pain,_ the voice in the back of my head hisses. I try to shoo it away, but I know it's right. Seeing Zelda hugging Link sends hurt to my heart. I finally can't hold it any longer-I let out a short yell.

"Miriam!" Link says, running over to me. Zelda stares, wide-eyed. The cool, composed princess seems to think only of Link's speaking. Link helps me up.

"Link talks now. Don't touch him. It hurts," I explain in small words. The princess isn't stupid, I know, but I really don't think I can talk much more than that. Zelda nods.

"I'm sorry, Miriam. I completely forgot. Please forgive me," she murmurs, and I can tell she's sincere. I like the princess, even if she does have a crush on Link.

"It's fine, princess. I'm used to it," I chuckle, wiping myself off.

"Do you need anything? A damp cloth? A cot to lie down on?" she asks.

"No, I'm fine. I feel okay now. It goes away quickly," I lie. My head is spinning with thoughts that I can't get out of it. Princess Zelda nods, finally not as worried about me. She turns to Link.

"Do you mind if I talk to you for a moment?" she asks. Link follows her into a back room, careful not to touch her. Impa leaves us alone, not saying a word. Ookami turns to me.

"What was that about?" she asks. I stare at her blankly.

"What do you mean?" I inquire. Ookami puts her hands on her hips, giving me a look of you-know-what-I'm-talking-about, even though I really don't know.

"There was jealousy written all over that face," she says. I stare blankly.

"Um, I really wasn't focused on that. I thought it was sort of a pained face, since my head was spinning, I couldn't breathe, and my eyes felt like they were on fire," I lie. I know that I was jealous, but I didn't know it could show through _that_ well. Ookami gives me a funny look.

"I meant Zelda was jealous, but that proves that you were jealous, too," she grins. I really don't give her enough credit. I think she did that by accident, but she's still pretty smart.

"Was not!" I giggle, sticking my tongue out at her. A funny feeling starts creeping into my heart. My head starts to spin. It's very unusual for this to happen, but it happens every once in a while. I sit down, my heart hurting. Pain comes to me again, mostly near my heart. It feels like I'm going to explode. Ookami holds out her hand for me to squeeze. I take it, still hurting. The emotional pain makes me want to cry. _One of the Triforce members is feeling heartbreak,_ I realize. I glance over to the room where Zelda and Link went in. Soft voices come through the door, though they sound angry and hurt.

"What is it?" Ookami asks. She must have realized that I'm close to tears-rather than screaming like I usually am.

"Heartbreak," I murmur, more to myself than anyone else. The door to the princess's room opens, and Link comes out. He's trying to look composed, but I can tell it's taking everything he's got. The princess walks out smoothly, and the amount of hurt increases. "It's coming from her," I gasp, trying to breathe. Zelda walks over, and the pain increases.

"What is it?" she asks, her voice strained and uneven. I look at her. Her blue eyes are brimming with tears, but she still remains composed.

"Cry," I tell her.

"What?" she exclaims. _She must think I'm nuts._

"Cry. Let it out. It _hurts._ Princess, your pain is hurting me," I tell her between gasps. She stares at me blankly. "If you want to be a good host, cry!" I shout, hardly able to stand it. The tears come flowing out. She's a silent crier. If you saw her crying, you wouldn't notice unless you saw the tears coming down her cheeks. The pain decreases, the weight on my heart finally uplifted a little. "Thank you," I sigh, relieved. She nods.

"Explain," Dark Link says. I look at him, finally able to breathe normally.

"She felt intense emotional pain, and I felt it as well. It must have been her _and_ Link. Just one of them wouldn't have done it. When she held it in, it hurt more. My goddess that was painful," I explain. My heart is still achy, and my head is still spinning. Link and Zelda look at me blankly, not sure what to say. For once, the calm princess has nothing to say.

"I-I'm sorry," she stammers. I laugh.

"It's alright, princess. Everyone feels like that at times," I smile. I know the feeling of it, though I don't know where I would know it from. There's something familiar about that pain. I think back on my life, but I really can't imagine what it's from.

"You'd better be on your way if you're going to make it to Ordon," a voice sounds. I look up, and Impa's suddenly standing over me. The woman seems to have scared everyone else, but I'm really not shocked. Sheikah are known for their stealth.

"You're right," I say, getting up. The tension in the room is killing me, and even if Zelda did cry, my heart still hurts a little. It's bad enough to have to deal with my own emotions, let alone six other people. We walk up some stairs Impa leads us to, and get back on the horses. Link has been silent since he left the princess's room. I hold onto him tightly. He doesn't smile, frown, cry, or make a sound. He's perfectly straight-faced. "I'm sorry," I whisper to him.

"For what?" he asks. His face continues to be perfectly straight.

"For your pain. I'm sorry you had to feel that. It hurt, I can tell," I murmur. He nods, clearly not sure what to say.

"It's okay…" he mutters. I don't bother him throughout the rest of the trip. Between Zelda and Link touching and then the emotional pain, I can't help but fall asleep.

_"Come on, Miriam!" Link laughs. I follow him through the woods that I know like the back of my hand. _

_ "Where are we going?" I shout. _

_ "You'll see!" he says back. I get dragged to a clearing near Ordon village. The old tree house still stands there. We used to walk around in it a few years ago. He extends his arm in welcome. "This is my new home, Miriam," he smiles. _

_ "Really!?" I exclaim, climbing up the old tree house ladder. It has a beautiful view. He smiles. _

_ "Yup! And come inside," he says, opening the rusty door for me. I walk in. It's just like it always has been-dusty, dirty, and disgusting. But there's another set of ladders to the left. "I want to show you something," he says. I follow him up two more ladders, to a small platform where there's just a window. "Look outside," he says. I look out the window. The view is beautiful. You can even see Ordon Ranch!_

_ "Wow…" I murmur. Link grins. _

_ "I knew you'd say that," he teases. I put my hands on my hips. _

_ "Am I really that predictable?" I smirk, sticking my tongue out at him. _

_ "Yes, you are," he says. Then he scoops me up and slings me over his shoulder like he always does. I squirm the entire time, pounding on his back. He puts me down when we're outside. "Sword practice!" he yells, drawing the Master Sword. I draw mine, and we duel for a while like always. _

Chapter 13

I wake up around evening, realizing that, once again, I'm not on Epona. The surrounding is so déjà vu that it's a little freaky. _Ordon Springs,_ the ever-so-intelligent mind in the back of my head tells me. I don't know how I knew that, either. The pool of water is clear and sparkling. _As always._ Link is washing Epona-something so etched into my brain that the words come out before I know they do.

"Put your back into it!" I tell him. He grins from behind Epona, though he's hiding a rather quizzical expression. He walks over, his boots still soaked with water.

"How'd you sleep?" he asks, smirking at me. I sit up, stretching.

"Beautifully, thank you very much," I laugh. Ookami and Dark Link are washing Geno together. The two of them together is kind of cute. "We're in Ordon Springs," I say out loud. He nods. "Why did I know that?" Link stares back, then shrugs. _He knows something._

"Come on, help me wash Epona," he says, tossing me a brush. I catch it with one hand. "Always a ninja," he murmurs.

"Like that! How do you know that?" I whine. So many questions like this keep popping into my head. Like why did Zelda know that I was Miriam? Why did Link know I was a bad dancer? How did I know that this was Ordon Springs? I've never even been here. I explain all of this to Link, who nods understandingly.

"I don't know. It's just something that popped into my head," he says. _He's lying. His nose twitched. _The voice tells me. I pout in frustration. I keep thinking when in my life I could have been at Ordon. I spent my entire childhood in Kokiri. I don't remember much of last year... I'm pretty sure I didn't do too much, though. No matter how much I try to think of the past few years, I can't think of them. It drives me insane. The more I think about it, the less I know.

"What's bothering you?" Ookami asks. I sigh.

"No matter how much I try, I can't seem to think of anything that went on for the last few years. I don't even remember how I got that green cloak, and I've been wearing that thing forever," I frown. The frustration is setting in.

"Maybe you have a case of amnesia," she says. I shake my head.

"I remember Saria clearly. I remember my childhood. And it's not like I woke up one day and realized I forgot the day before. Am I really that old?" I joke. Ookami giggles.

"You probably got mixed up a lot when you felt pain. You said it felt like it lasted for hours, when it would really only last a minute or two," Ookami points out. I nod. "Maybe you lost track of time a lot more than you thought you did," she suggests. I nod, but somehow I doubt that actually happened. I stare at her and hold out my hands. "What?" she asks.

"Apples. Give me," I smirk. She giggles and digs around in her bag.

"We've got to collect some more later," she says. Ookami looks up, scowling. "There's only one green apple left," she sighs. I glance over at Link, who grins at me. I tackle Ookami, grabbing for the last green apple. Link tackles the both of us, creating a dog pile.

"Silly kids," I hear Midna say to Dark Link. I'm too busy stealing the green apple to notice or care, though. I hold it up triumphantly. Someone takes it from me. I look over. Epona eats the green apple right out of my hand. Link and I sigh. Ookami is rolling around on the sand, laughing until she's crying.

"Well, Epona, you always did like apples," I giggle. Then, I scowl. "Why did I know that!?" I whine, stomping my foot in frustration.

"Come on, everyone. My tree house is right around the corner," Link says.

"Then why'd we stop here?" Dark Link grumbles.

"Because Miriam likes it-well, I thought she'd like it," Link blushes. My frustration rises. I missed something in my life, and Link knows it. I am going to get that out of him- even if it takes standing over him with the Master Sword pointed at his heart. I nod absentmindedly. Then, I run ahead. Even the rocks have a similar feeling of déjà vu. I know where I'm going. It's just like it was in my dream last night. I reach the clearing. The dummy with the pumpkin head, the targets for arrows, and even the tree house haven't changed. I stamp my foot in frustration again. The others round the corner with their horses.

"LINK! WHY DO I KNOW THIS PLACE!?" I scream. He frowns.

"I don't know, Miriam," he says. Nose twitch. He's lying to me!

"Liar! You twitched your nose-you're lying," I sneer.

"Come on, Miriam. You're exhausted," he says. I frown at him. This is _not_ over yet! I crawl up the ladder like a squirrel and stand there, waiting for the others. I open the door. _Why did I know to jiggle the handle before I tried to open it?_ The fireplace, the basement, the pictures are _all so familiar. _I'm being driven up the wall of insanity. I crawl up the ladders like I had in my dream. "What are you doing?" Link sighs.

"Figuring out what all of this is," I growl. I look out the window. "Exactly as we left it. Then you scooped me up and dragged me down the ladders. Then you and I dueled each other with our swords," I hiss. "What is going on!?" Link stares at me.

"Miriam, I don't know," he repeats.

"NOSE TWITCH!"

"Stop it, Miriam. Come on, you're going to bed," he announces. _He'll say you can sleep in the basement, _the little voice tells me. Link starts to open his mouth to say something.

"I can sleep in the basement, huh? Thanks for offering," I sneer. He stares back.

"What is with you today?" he snaps. I jump down from the first platform.

"You're hiding something from me, Link. You knew I was a bad dancer. I knew you like green apples. Zelda knew I knew you from the letter. Link, you knew what was going on for the last few years, didn't you?" I cry. "You've been keeping it from me!" Link stares at me. This time, he's not shocked or angry. He just seems… _sad._

"Miriam, please. Now's not the time. You have to trust me, okay?" he murmurs. I glare at him.

"Why should I trust you when you obviously aren't telling me something?" I retort.

"It's for your protection, Miriam," Link says, his voice tired. "Do you want to end up dead again?" he says, his voice uneven. I watch closely. _His eyes are quivering. He's upset._ "Because I certainly don't want to have that happen." The sudden display of anger surprises me, sending me into near tears as well. Ookami, Dark Link, and Midna have all disappeared in this, leaving Link and I to argue on our own.

"Why can't you tell me, Link?" I ask, practically begging. My voice is quivering.

"Miriam, not now. Please don't make me tell you now," he whispers. I sigh, heading for the door. I don't say anything. I don't look back at him. I know what facial expression he'll have. He'll look at me with those sad blue eyes and ask for me to understand. And then I'll give in and not hear what I want. I crawl down the ladder. I walk past Ookami and Dark Link, who watch me go, but don't have the guts to follow. Midna is nowhere to be seen, so I suppose she's exploring Ordon. I walk along the dirt path. I reach up and swing from an oak branch. Seems so usual for me. I bend over and crawl through a tunnel hidden behind some ferns. Even the ground I'm crawling over seems familiar.

_"Come over here. They'll never find us," I tell him, my voice panicked. He ducks his head and follows me into the dirt tunnel. "Let's wrap that wound…" I murmur, pulling out some bandages from my bags. Link looks at me, trying to hide the pain. "Don't bother trying," I whisper, lifting his shirt slightly to wash off the wound. He winces in pain. "Right in the stomach. It's not too deep, though," I assure him. _

_ "Thanks," he murmurs. I nod, working at the wound. He turns around and puts his finger to his lips. We both freeze. The Moblins, Redeads, Darknuts, and other creatures pass by, marching in formation. The Redeads send shivers up my spine. Finally, they pass by. I continue patching Link's wound. "We'd better stay here for the night," he suggests. _

_ "They won't know we're so close to home. Good idea," I murmur. We sleep in the tunnel, stirring every once in a while to watch the monsters pass by. _

I shake myself from the daydream. Was that a memory, or was I imagining that? Now that I think about it, Link would probably have a scar from that, wouldn't he? I shake it from my head and crawl through into the springs. The water is as clear as ever. Even though two horses have just been washed in it, it seems to make no difference. I shimmy up a tree, finding the familiar grooves. My arm reaches out for a branch before I even see it. _It's so natural._ I sit, my feet dangling from the branch. I lean against the trunk of the tree, closing my eyes. I hear someone trying to be sneaky.

"If you're trying to be sneaky, it's not working," I tell them.

"You're so much like a cat that it's a little scary," Lark says. I crack an eyelid open. I jump down, landing on my feet.

"I would have thought a shadow would be a little quieter," I tell him, sitting next to the pool of the water. _Even Ordon Springs can't cheer me up._ He sits next to me.

"I didn't feel like it. So what's up with you and Link?" he asks. I scoff.

"You're rather blunt, aren't you?"

"Well, there's no use dancing around it. You know I came to ask that question, and you know I won't leave without an answer," he tells me. I stand up.

"Well then I guess I'll have to leave if you won't," I say. Lark grabs my wrist and pulls me down. "Ow," I grumble, rubbing my wrist. "You could have been nicer."

"Nice won't get you anywhere. Tell me what's going on, or Ookami and I can't help," he growls.

"You forgot Midna."

"Midna's working on Link at the moment. He won't tell her anything. Come on, if you don't tell me you're going to have to tell Ookami," Lark points out. I snarl at him and explain the argument between Link and I. Dark Link nods slowly, taking it all in. "Well if he won't tell you, it's probably only to protect you," he points out.

"Yeah, but when he twitches his nose, it means he's lying. There are very few things Link would run from, but I wonder if I'm one of them," I sigh. "Why else would I have forgotten the last few years?" I shake my head, not sure what to say. "He twitched his nose when he said it was for the best-for my protection. He's lying to me," I murmur. The sudden urge to cry hits me.

"He's probably scared to love someone, Miriam," Lark explains. "Neither of us have ever really loved anyone. Saria was his best friend. He loves Zelda as a friend, but nothing like this. You never told anyone about what I told you at the feast, did you?" he asks, suddenly a little frightened.

"No. I haven't told a soul. Sometimes I have to tell myself," I mutter. "Before this whole mess-up, my life was so simple. I slept, ate, and hunted. Why do I have to be the middle of the Triforce?" I groan. Lark actually pats my back. A real sign of affection from him. It's a miracle. "What do I do?" I ask, putting my forehead on my knees.

"I don't really know. I can't do anything for you. Right now, leave Link alone, then apologize if you want. He needs some time to think it over," Dark Link tells me.

"Do you think he and I knew each other?" I inquire. "I keep having these flashbacks. His house, us in the tunnel… Wait-do you have the same scars Link does?" I ask. Lark stares at me blankly.

"No."

"Oh. I think Link's got a scar on his stomach that I bandaged…" I ponder.

"How would you know that?"

"Flashback," I explain. "Come on. Ookami's probably missing you," I tease. Dark Link lets out a small chuckle and stands up.

"She's probably too busy with Geno," he points out.

"She does love those horses," I giggle. A small nudge on my legs makes me jump. I calm down quickly and pet Botan. "Hey, honey," I smile, hugging him. I swing my leg over him. "Bye!" I grin to Lark, taking off on Botan. Riding a Bullbo is so much more fun than riding a horse. Horses are faster and smoother, but Bullbos are funny to watch, and if you run into a tree, they don't seem to notice. I come across the rope bridge and cross it with ease. Botan doesn't seem to care. "Good boy," I tell him. We run into Faron woods, again, very familiar. I finally swing my leg off of him and pat his head. He snorts back. I walk over to the Faron Springs. Much like Ordon Springs, the water is crystal clear. This one is like a three-layered cake, though, and has an actual pool at the edge. Plus, there's a blonde haired girl with a black horse in the middle. "Hey you," I smile. Ookami jumps.

"You scared me!" she giggles.

"I'm like a cat, you know," I tease, picking up a brush and carefully brushing Geno.

"D-did you and Link make up?" she asks. I shake my head.

"Lark said to give him some time. I don't get it, Ookami. Why would he hide something like that from me?" I frown. She frowns back.

"I don't know. Come on, there's a pool over there," she grins. I grin back and take off my leggings, boots, and the cloak attached to my shirt. I step in carefully. Ookami, on the other hand, dives right into the cold water. Compared to the Zora's Domain water, it's like a hot spring. "This place is so amazing," she sighs. I nod.

"Come on, we can visit Coro," I tell her, pulling myself out of the water. I wring out my hair. "We can leave Botan and Geno here," I giggle, watching Botan splash around. Geno looks rather unamused.

"Coro?" she asks.

"The lantern guy. Maybe you and I can get a free lantern from him," I say teasingly. We walk through the (creepy) tunnel and walk out in the tall grass. Ookami makes a comment about the tall grass, but I don't hear her. "Coro!" I yell out in greeting. Coro turns around, grinning.

"Well, there's a business opportunity!" Coro laughs. We talk to Coro until sunset, get Ookami a lantern, and go back to Faron woods.

"He's a character!" Ookami laughs, leading Geno.

"Coro always has been. I don't even know him. I mean, I really don't remember meeting him or talking to him. But I knew his name, and I knew he was there. And don't bother trying to steal his soup," I say, faking a gag. Ookami giggles. The stars are already coming out. "We'd better ride back. It'd be a lot faster," I point out. Ookami nods, agreeing. I tell Botan to go quickly, and he obeys. We make it back to Ordon in time for dinner. Although it would have been better if we had skipped dinner, since the silence was so uncomfortable. Link has already set up beds for all of us. I suppose he knew I'd want the top platform, because he has an entire arrangement of blankets and things that seem so familiar.

"Good night," Ookami murmurs from below.

"Good night," I mumble back. I haven't even lain down, though. I'm too busy staring out at the stars, wondering how many times I've done this before.

Chapter 14

I'm the last to go to sleep and the first to get up. I slept rather well, though, so I'm really not tired. I carefully step over Ookami and Dark Link. Midna sleeps on a bookshelf, so I really don't have to worry about her. Link sleeps near the fireplace, so I have to watch him closely. He's a rather light sleeper (this I don't have to think about, since I learned this while we were on the journey). I place some soup over the fire. Link must have been up in the middle of the night to put more firewood in, since it's still going pretty strongly.

A creak from the ladder makes me turn around. "Good morning," Lark whispers. He seems almost like a brother to me after this whole journey. Ookami is like a little sister.

"Morning," I utter back, scared to wake up Link. I step over a floorboard that I know creaks.

"You know this house a little too well," Lark sighs.

"It's driving me crazy," I growl. I set his bowl of soup in front of him. He eats it hungrily. "You were hungry," I comment. He nods.

"I was so sick of apples that I gave mine to Geno yesterday," he admits.

"It's better to be honest in a relationship," I smirk, motioning to Ookami. I refill Lark's bowl and fill my own. I pull a chair up and eat rather quickly myself. "So how did you two meet, exactly?"

"Link was busy rescuing Zelda from Ghirahim, and I had to rescue some girl that Ganondorf kidnapped. In her world, her family got killed. So she came here to escape. No one in her world knows she's here," he admits. "She misses it a lot, I can tell. But she likes it here, too."

"That stinks… I didn't know she had to go through with that. She'll like it here, though," I say, comforting him. He seems to think otherwise, but doesn't voice it. Midna and Ookami stir, and I make sure they stay quiet. "Link's had a long night," I explain.

"You just don't want to apologize to him," Midna says. I hate it when she's right.

"I'd like to apologize when he's well-rested. He was probably up all night tending to the fire," I sigh. "Now, all of you, go play," I instruct. "Meet neighbors, wrestle with Botan, tick off cuccos, whatever. Just do it so you don't wake up Link," I tell them. They all scatter across Ordon. I stare at Link while he sleeps. He seems to be having nightmares. _It's creepy to watch people sleep, _I remind myself. I stand up, walk over the creaky floorboard, and bend over with a hot bowl of soup in my hands. "Hey, you, wake up," I whisper gently. Link opens his eyes and stares at me. "There's soup," I offer. He accepts it graciously. "I'm sorry about yesterday," I sigh, looking at the floor. "If you're keeping secrets from me, it's understandable," I tell him.

"You didn't even say good morning," Link points out. I stare at him. "I'm kidding, Miriam. I'm sorry, too. I should have told you sooner, but there's no time to. I'll have to tell you about this whole mess later, okay?" he says. I look at him closely. He's kind of scared, I can tell. But I'll let him tell me on his own watch, I suppose.

"Okay," I agree. "Now, let's duel," I grin, unsheathing my sword. We duel for a while, knocking over several objects (like pots, which have rupees in them that I hastily collect). It ends with me pinned against the wall, though. I'm good with my sword, but I can't match Link. "No fair! You have a Master Sword!" I tease.

"It's only fair that way. I don't kick or punch my enemies," he reminds me. He's right. I also like to use throwing knives, but that would not be good. "You're such a Sheikah," he says. I run my fingers through my hair.

"Do you know what I am?" I ask him. He shakes his head. He's turned around so I can't quite see if his nose is twitching or not. I jump away from the wall and bound towards the door. "Come on, let's go see the ranch," I smile. I walk down the path, waving at people I _know_ are familiar. Some of the people stare, amazed, and the children practically tackle me.

"You're alive!" they shout. I hug them all.

"Of course I'm alive! Why-" I glance over at Link who shakes his head frantically. I glare at him and continue hugging the kids. "Come on, kids, let's go to the ranch. Where's Colin?" I ask.

"Over here!" little Colin yells. Link and I walk to the ranch with a herd of children behind us. I know all of their names, personalities, and pet peeves. I rustle Colin's hair. He rapidly puts it back. I giggle and pick one of the kids up. We make our way to the ranch. "Link, can you wrestle with one of the goats?" Colin begs. Link sighs, but walks up to one of them. He takes the horns, then, for a moment, they struggle. He tosses it over on its side. _And that wasn't even with the gauntlets._

"Very nice!" I cheer. The kids spread out, petting the goats. I walk up to Fado (why do I know everyone's names?).

"Miriam!" he exclaims.

"Heya, Fado," I smile. "How's the ranch?" I ask.

"It's doing really well. The goats eat a ton," he admits. We talk for a little while. Around noon, the kids have to go home for lunch.

"Come on, you. Let's get home," I tell Link, pushing him away from the goats.

"Come back later to round them up!" Fado yells. We nod to him. Ookami has already started making sandwiches for the rest of us. I sit down and eat hungrily.

"Thanks for lunch," I say, gulping down the last of it. I realize the others have just started on theirs.

"That was fast," Ookami comments. I blush.

"I was hungry," I explain, shrugging. After lunch, we all pretty much separate. Ookami goes riding, Lark goes fishing, Midna takes another nap, Link helps Fado round up the goats, and I go to Ordon Springs with Epona and Botan. I wash the two of them off. "You need a new saddle," I tell Botan. He's already outgrowing his, and it's rather dirty. I can't imagine how many Bulblin germs are on it. He snorts at me and starts splashing around in the waters. Ookami rides over to us.

"Hey, Miriam," she says, dismounting Geno.

"Hey, Ookami," I say back, concentrated on washing Epona. "Do you ever plan on telling us about why you can turn into a wolf?" I ask her. She splashes herself with water absentmindedly.

"Well, actually, I'm half demon," she admits. _Woah there._ I wait for her to continue. "My mother is a human. A natural born, all American human."

"American?"

"It's kind of like a country. Like Hyrule," she says. I've never heard of any other country than Hyrule. "My mother is a human, as you can see," she points to her ears. Unlike most of the races in Hyrule, her ears are rounded. "My father was a demon."

"Wow. That's a pretty interesting life story you've got there. I wonder what I am…" I mutter.

"You're probably part Gerudo," she giggles. "You have the spirit of one. Or maybe you're part Hylian. Or maybe you're a Sheikah. I always thought I was just a normal human, but I guess not," she sighs.

"I used to think I was a Kokiri. But then, I realized that I didn't have the same fascination with trees and the color green. And I was getting bigger every day. I liked the Deku Tree, don't get me wrong, but I didn't feel the same way as them. Mido was always trying to keep other Kokiris out, especially me."

"Well, in my world, there's something called school. It stinks," she says. We start talking about each other's worlds. I tell Ookami all about Hyrule, and she tells me all about her world. "We'd better get back. It's sunset," she says, standing up. I nod, mounting Epona. I don't think I've ever ridden Epona on my own. I gallop away from the springs, Ookami and Botan close behind.

"Dinner time!" Midna shouts from the tree house. I climb the ladder, still hungry.

"Food!" I say excitedly, sitting at the table. Lark puts a bowl in front of me, and I eat it rapidly. "That was great," I sigh.

"How would you know? You ate it too quickly to know what it tasted like," Link points out. I shrug.

"If I could eat it that quickly, it was delicious," I smirk. We sit around the house, not really doing anything. "I love this place," I comment, sitting on the floor. I lean back and stare at the ceiling. _Orion's Belt!_ "What is that doing there!?" I gasp, pointing to the very top of his ceiling. Somehow, I doubt I put those there. I can climb trees, but heights have never been my thing.

"Those? I put them there," Link admits. I frown.

"I have the exact same things on the top of my ceiling-right above my bed," I say. He nods.

"Another one of those things that you'd probably freak out at if I told you…" he mutters. I scoff at him, getting up.

"I'm going to bed," I say.

"The sun's still out!" Midna points out.

"Don't care," I yawn, crawling up the ladders. Link says nothing. I can happily sleep.

_"What are you doing?" I ask him, peeking over his shoulder. Link hides whatever he's making. _

_ "I'm making something for you," he says. _

_ "Why?"_

_ "Your birthday is coming up, right? You said it's in winter. You won't give me any specific date, so I'll just give it to you on the first day it snows," he says. I frown at him and sit back down. I crawl up the ladders, looking out the window. To my amazement, it's _snowing.

_ "I guess you'll have to give it to me now," I grin, crawling back down and standing with my hands on my hips. _

_ "What-" he looks out the window and laughs. "I suppose so." Link walks over to me and holds up a golden chain. Attached to it is a small, golden Triforce. I gasp. _

_ "I can't accept that!" I exclaim. He laughs. _

_ "If you don't accept it, then all my hard work will have been for nothing." Link steps behind me, clasping the necklace around me. I touch it and stare at it. It shines back at me. _

_ "I- How could I accept this!?" I panic. _

_ "Miriam, it's fine, really." He takes my hand, attempting to comfort me. Tears fill in my eyes, but I refuse to let them out. _

_ "Link… I don't like that we're forced to be… More than friends…" I whisper. He sits down, putting me on his lap. I stare at him, still trying to keep the tears from falling. _

_ "Honestly, I don't either. But you know what? We can be friends forever this way. We've got to prove that we're above this, Miriam. Your father planned this to make you bring me to him. We've got keep that from happening, and we'll both be fine," he comforts. I hug him tightly, letting myself cry. _

Chapter 15

The weeks pass by rapidly. No sign has been spotted of Ganondorf anywhere. Not yet, at least. Ookami and I like to go riding, and we occasionally go swimming in the creek in the village. Link and I duel with swords a lot. He tries to teach me how to use a bow, but I really don't like it. I prefer to stick to duel swords or just one sword. Dark Link and Ookami are constantly going on rides together. Midna, Ookami, and I like to talk to each other when the Links are out hunting. We bond a lot over the weeks.

"Give me my hat back!" Link calls out, trying to climb the tree I'm in. I sit with my legs dangling, holding his hat between two of my fingers.

"Come and get it," I tease, sticking my tongue out at him. He starts to crawl up the tree after me.

"Miriam! Over here!" Ookami shouts. I toss the hat to where she is. Link crawls back down the tree. Ookami runs away from him, but trips.

"Toss it here, Ookami!" Lark says. She tosses it to him, and he throws it to Midna, who delivers it back to me. I sit with it, still grinning at Link.

"Alright, alright. I give up. Anyone up for some dinner?" he suggests. I throw the hat to him (it lands in the water, though), and I jump down from the tree rather carelessly.

"Food!" I giggle. "Carry me," I say, drooping my arms like a zombie.

"I don't carry people who steal my hat," Link says, sticking his nose up.

"Technically, I didn't steal your hat-Midna did," I point out. Link sighs and scoops me up, slinging me over his shoulder. I push my hair out of my eyes and look at Ookami, who makes a face at me. I stick my tongue out at her.

"If you stick that tongue out much more it'll dry out," Lark comments. I stick my tongue out at him too. Midna sits on Botan, hitting his sides to make him go faster. He snorts and stares at her.

"How do you make him move?" she asks, still trying to make him move. I shake my head, laughing. Botan's grown up now. He's _huge_ and eats an enormous amount of food. We reach the clearing that Link's tree house is in. He puts me down. Ookami feeds the animals as usual. My goddess that girl likes horses.

"I'm so hungry," I moan, pretending that I'm about to faint. Ookami shakes her head at me. We proceed inside, where we eat whatever food we've collected. Today, it includes blueberries that Ookami and I picked, and some cuccos.

"These things are so hard to kill," Link says, putting the plate of food in front of us.

"Nearly killed us," Lark admits, poking the food with his fork. We eat in silence. Cooked cucco is actually really good.

"Good night," I say, yawning. The others stare at me. "I like my sleep, okay?" I grin, crawling up the ladder. By now, we all have our own cots. I settle into mine, and I begin to sleep like a baby.

_The screams of my friends terrify me more than ever. I yell out to them instinctively. Knowing they're in pain hurts me. _

_ "If you come willingly, I will not hurt the others," Ganondorf says. I stare at him. _

_ "You can't hurt them," I tell him. _

_ "I know where Link lives. He's part of the Triforce, and since you are the center, I can tell where you are at all times. How do you think I found you when you were in Kakariko?"_

_ "Luck?" I guess, shrugging. Ganondorf isn't amused, though. _

_ "Listen, little mutt. I'll make you a deal," he says. _

_ "I won't be making any deals with someone as ugly as you," I tell him. _

_ "Shut up, you witch! If you come, I won't kill your friends, and I'll tell you what you are," he grins. He's hit it. I can't refuse it. If he hurts Link, Ookami, Dark Link, or Midna, I think I might just die inside. Plus, he's willing to tell me who I am. _

_ "I'll do it," I say, determined. _

_ "Just don't tell your little friends," he growls. "Come to the Lost Woods, and you'll receive further instructions there."_

He won't hurt them, will he? He can't hurt my friends. I sit up, realizing that it's still a little dark out. _I've got to hurry if I am to get a head-start…_I think to myself. I creep past the others, who are dead asleep. I put a few things into my bag and grab my cloak, wrapping it around my shoulders. I keep thinking which animal I'm going to bring with me. I decide to take one of the horses from Ordon Ranch with me. They never do anything anyway. I run to the ranch, jump the fence, and grab one of the horses, trying to make sure to remain quiet. We ride through the woods. I stop the mare-Aeris-at Ordon Springs. I rapidly write everyone a letter, explaining not to worry, and that I'll be okay. They just need to calm themselves.

I continue across the bridge on Aeris. She's a plain brown horse with a little white streak on her forehead. Not being good with horses, I don't know what to do with her or how often I should stop. So I plan on riding her until she seems tired. I pass by Coro's quietly, making sure not to wake him. He'd tell Link all about me leaving on a mysterious horse. I don't want them to have the slightest hint as to where I'm going. Aeris is rather fast, and she doesn't seem to tire easily.

"Good girl," I murmur, patting her head. We make it to Hyrule Field, where we stop to rest at a small pond. I withdraw my sword and kill a nearby Bulblin. A Kargaroc comes flying in at me but quickly learns not to do that. Aeris doesn't seem to care about the enemies in the slightest bit. I let her drink at the pond for a few minutes. The sun has started coming up. I know that the others will be waking up soon. I mount Aeris again and begin to ride toward Kokiri woods. She's a pretty fast horse. She's not nearly as fast as Epona, but she's better than most. We make it to the woods by noon, where I climb into my tree house. I make some food for the journey, though it won't be long. I pray that the others don't know to come here. It's for their safety, after all.

I climb out of the tree house with my jars full of soup and jam. I pick a green apple off of one of the trees and eat it, then feed Aeris a few. She eats like, well, a horse. We ride into Kokiri Forest further, until we come to the village. Most of the Kokiris are probably working or playing, so I manage to sneak around them. I make it into the Lost Woods. They're so familiar, and I know them like the back of my hand. I had to tie Aeris to a tree outside the forest and pay a Kokiri to take care of her. I _really_ hope that Link and the others don't come through here.

I walk through the Lost Woods, wondering where I'm supposed to go. I tuck my cloak back further on my head, keeping anyone from seeing my face. I sit down against a tree and close my eyes.

_"Now, come to the Forest Temple," Ganondorf tells me. "And wake up. Don't leave behind so many clues."_

_ "I wasn't trying to, honest. I was kind of in a hurry, though," I hiss at him. _

I'm woken from this just minutes after falling asleep. I stand up and walk to the Forest Temple. The place has always given me the creeps. I walk inside, immediately greeted by a Darknut, who guides me through many rooms, finally leading into one large throne room. Ganondorf sits, playing an organ again.

"You should switch it up some time," I tell him. He whips around.

"You'd better watch it, mutt," he snarls.

"We made an agreement, Ganondorf. Me for my friends' safety. And some information would be nice right about now," I growl.

"Fine. To the wall," Ganondorf says to his minions. They take me by force and pin me to the wall with chains.

"Well this is comfy," I comment, looking at my new accessories. My feet don't even touch the ground. This is really uncomfortable, and it kind of hurts.

"So you really want to know about yourself, do you?" Ganondorf grins. I stare at him, my face like stone. "Your father is a demon." _I'm sorry what._

"Prove it," I demand.

"You really don't remember him, do you?" Ganondorf looks rather confused.

"No. Why would I?"

"He taught you all that you know."

"Know of what…?" I ask, raising my eyebrow.

"Don't play games!" Ganondorf rages. I stare at him, unamused.

"I'm not, you big oaf. I really don't know what you're talking about. Tell me more," I instruct him. He glares at me with those ugly yellow eyes. _My goddess_ this room smells!

"Your father taught you all about your magic," he tells me, sitting in the chair at the organ. I stare at Ganondorf.

"You're wrong. I never knew my father. And I didn't know I had magic until a few weeks ago," I say. I would normally be more careful over the fact that I'm spilling out so much information, but at this point, I really couldn't care less. I'm about to die anyway.

"You really don't remember him?" Wow. Ganondorf's finally as confused as I am.

"I really don't remember him," I tell the Gerudo. A wicked grin flashes across his face, but I doubt he's planning on telling me anything any time soon. I sigh. "Can you please let me down from this thing? I'm tired, and I want my sleep. You woke me up too early," I whine. Ganondorf speaks in some language (probably Gerudo) that I can't understand. His minions walk up to me and take the shackles off my hands and feet. I rub my wrists. "Thanks," I mutter sarcastically.

"Your lunch is ready, sir," a voice says from the doorway. I look over. Dark Zelda stares back at me for a brief moment. Ganondorf mutters something to the Darknuts and walks out the door.

"So, nice weather we're having, huh?" I say to the Darknuts. They point their spears at me. "Cool it, guys. I'm not going to try to escape. There's nowhere to run," I laugh. I walk over to the throne in the room. "Kind of brings back some memories, huh, guys?" I tease. They follow me. I lounge in it like I did before. Ganondorf comes charging in. "Nice lunch?" I ask him.

"If you want to live, you'd be smart not to say anything," he snarls. For once, I heed his warning. I'm going to be here a lot longer than I was last time. He (surprisingly) lets me sit in the throne, as long as I keep my mouth shut. He plays some more dark, depressing songs. I stare at him, watching him. He doesn't stumble. The song ends.

"Impressive," I remark, getting up. He moves away from the organ, clearly contemplating something. I slide onto the bench, ignoring the fact that Ganondorf has sat down on it. I put my fingers on the keys, and decide what tune to play. _Why do I know how to play the organ? _I have to ask myself. I give up trying to think of why and start playing. It's rather upbeat, and my fingers seem to know where to go. I play it through without interruption. When I am done, I stand up and glance over at Ganondorf.

"Sit down, mutt," he hisses. I shrug, though I know that somewhere in that dusty, hairy, nonexistent heart of his, he liked it. I recline back into the throne.

"What time is it?" I whine after a while.

"Almost sunset," he growls.

"Where am I sleeping?" I ask. He motions to the Darknuts and they grab my wrists. "Well that's no way to treat a guest," I comment. Ganondorf and the Darknuts seem to ignore me. They throw me into a rather grassy room (no surprise, since I am in the Forest Temple) and leave me. I look around. There's nothing but grass, a pond of water, and a tray of really gross looking food. I glance over at the side of the room and find a bush. If you're going to build a Forest Temple, build it outside. I pluck some berries off of the bush. _Let's find out if they're poisonous,_ I tell myself. I put a few in my mouth. I'm not dead, so I keep eating them.

I feel exhausted from today, since I ran away, willingly got caught in the Forest Temple, and annoyed Ganondorf. I gather a few leaves and form them into a bed, the way Saria taught me. We used to camp outside all the time. I found out that mosquitoes really like me, though. I curl up and quickly fall asleep.

_I'm standing in front of Link and Ookami, who look extremely worried. Ookami has clearly been crying, and Link looks like he tore apart the entire land. _

_ "Where would she have gone?" Ookami asks, her voice uneven. She sits down on the grass. I realize that they're in Hyrule Field. Link sits next to her, pulling off his hat and running his hand through his hair. _

_ "I don't know. We checked Castle Town, but there's no disturbance there… Where could she have gone?" he sighs. _

_ "She wouldn't just get up and run away like this. Do you think she was kidnapped?" she asks. Link shakes his head. _

_ "Miriam took Aeris, one of the horses from Fado's ranch. If she was kidnapped, Aeris would still be there. If we find the horse, we find Miriam," he says, standing up. A Kargaroc comes flying towards us. _

_ "Watch out!" I yell. I know they won't hear me, but they flip around anyway. Link doesn't have time to pull out his sword. I gather my magic and hit the Kargaroc. It dies instantly. Ookami and Link look around. _

_ "That was weird," Ookami says, staring at the dead body of the Kargaroc. I wave my hands in front of their faces, trying to get their attention. I stare at Link. He looks stressed, and pulls something out from under his tunic. The necklace! It's the same Triforce necklace from my flashback. He puts his fingers on it and frowns. _

_ "Come on, we've got to find her," he mutters, mounting Epona. Dark Link and Midna come over, saying there's no sign of me. I watch them race off. _

_ "Don't go to Kokiri Forest," I beg them. I know they can't hear me, but I pray that they don't go there. "Anywhere but there…"_

Chapter 16

The next few days pass rather slowly. Ganondorf mostly pins me to the wall and plays his organ, feeding me whenever he remembers to. I try to keep up on the annoying retorts, but after being in the dark, depressing Forest Temple, my mind isn't focused on annoying Ganondorf. All I want to do is see my friends. Just a glimpse of them would give me more strength.

"Can you please let me down from here?" I ask, struggling against the chains. The Darknuts let me down, and I sit against the wall, too lazy to walk to the throne. Ganondorf walks behind the throne, into a hidden room he's clearly found. I watch as he disappears down a dark corridor and the hidden door shuts. I sigh, not really moving. Ganondorf comes back rather quickly. "So, you wanna tell me more about myself?" I ask him. He shakes his head, playing the organ again. I grumble something to myself and slouch against the wall.

I close my eyes, concentrating on my friends, trying to gain the strength to fight.

_"She's got to be here somewhere. Aeris was here," Link says. They're in the Lost Woods! Midna floats around, looking overhead. Ookami and Dark Link come into the clearing, panting. _

_ "Forest Temple… Some of the Kokiri have said there was strange activity there. There are Darknuts and Redeads sitting outside, guarding it," Dark Link says quickly. _

I wake up from the vision with a gasp. I did NOT know I could do that. I look around, but there's no racket yet. I can feel my swords on my back. I suppose Ganon never bothered to take them off, since I'm under constant protection. I stand up, shaking myself off. He eyes me warily, but he continues to play the organ. I'm so sick of that thing. Shouts and Redead cries (those things scare me so much) come from outside. I frown, and I know my friends are coming to rescue me. _Ganondorf won't spare their lives!_ I can't help but think. I crack my neck, getting ready for the battle. The door bursts open.

"Miriam!" Ookami yells, running to me.

"I guess we'll have to fight the ginger, huh?" I sigh, motioning to Ganondorf, who is already staring at Link. Ookami turns around.

"Ganondorf! Hello!" she says. I shake my head. _She's turning into me. _He stares blankly at her. "Don't you recognize me? It is, after all, the fifth time we've met. And you kidnapped me, don't you remember? I guess kidnapping girls is more a hobby now, though," she sneers. Actually, now that I think about it, he's kidnapped me, Ookami, and both Zeldas. And those are just the ones I know about. Ganondorf's expression changes.

"You're that little half bred demon that got away from me last time. This time, however, I promise you that you won't," Ganondorf grins.

"You've kidnapped me twice, and I got away both times," Ookami points out.

"Third time's the charm," Ganondorf tells her. Ookami's expression changes into hatred, and a strange light surrounds her body. I expect for her to turn into a wolf, but she doesn't. She has tan ears, a tan tail with a black tip, a leathery nose, claws, and fur covering her arms. She has wolf like legs as well. I stare at her.

"You left that part out," I tell her, staring at her form. Midna and I aren't completely shocked by this form, and Dark Link seems to be totally cool with it. Link stares at her. And stares. And can't stop staring. His mouth drops open.

"What? Am I too beautiful you have no words left?" Ookami teases.

"Will you people stop taking my lines!?" Midna cries.

"Let's get this party started!" I laugh, drawing my swords. Link draws the Master Sword and charges at Ganondorf.

"Who set you up to this, Ganon?" Link asks, locked in battle. I help him with Ganondorf, while the others take care of the Darknuts.

"Look, the elf boy can talk now," Ganondorf chuckles, pushing Link back with his foot. I battle a little one-on-one with Ganondorf before Link gets up.

"Tell me, Ganondorf, who put you up to this?" he asks again, his sword striking part of the Gerudo King's arm. Ganondorf yells out in pain.

"Who do you think put me up to this?" he yells. "Ghirahim and Demise!" I frown. _Well this is going to be an interesting fight._

"Somehow I doubt that," I tell him, one of my swords clashing with his. "Midna! Switch out!" I yell, switching places with her. Now I'm battling with a Darknut.

"It's the truth!" Ganondorf roars. Midna managed to get most of the armor off of the Darknut, so I stab him a few times to finish him off and return to Ganondorf.

"Prove it," I sneer.

"You shouldn't have asked for it, witch," Ganondorf says, his eyes turning a brighter yellow. For the first time since I met the Gerudo, I get a little scared. The scar on his chest glows through his armor. A blockade goes up around us. Link and I are trapped with Ganondorf. Well _shoot._

"You don't fight fair, you know that?"

"Since when did a demon need to fight fairly?" his comment brings another flashback to my mind.

_ "Like this, witch," my father says, holding out his hand. He blows up a Hylian man. I scream, feeling the pain for that person. _

_ "Don't make me do that!" I beg him. _

I come out of the flashback with a gasp. I charge at Ganondorf, anger building. I strike his leg with one sword, but I'm not finished. I use my magic to send electricity through his body.

"Feel my pain, you bastard!" I scream, the anger flowing freely.

_"Steady now, you can't release it all at once. You want them to suffer." _The voice reminds me. Ganondorf's shouts of pain fuel the anger. I pull my sword out of his leg.

"Little witch!" Ganondorf roars.

"I think you angered him," Link tells me. I nod, grinning.

"That's what I wanted to do," I hiss, charging at him again. Fury blinds me. I throw all the tactics I learned with Link out the window and hack at Ganondorf. He gets a good hit on my arm, I think, but the adrenaline blinds me. I don't feel pain.

_ "Block out the pain. Don't be a coward," the man spits. _

"Miriam!" Link yells. I have just enough time to block Ganondorf's hit. Link attacks him from the side, stabbing him. Ganondorf yells out again. I jump into the air and deliver a hard kick to the head, making him fall over.

"Finish him, Link!" I cry out. He doesn't need to be told twice. He takes the Master Sword and slams it into Ganondorf's chest. The most horrific sound comes out of the Gerudo King's mouth. "Some king you are," I snarl at him. I glare into his eyes as they glaze over.

"Come on, Miriam," Link says. The barrier Ganondorf had created has now fallen. Link takes my hand and leads me to one of the walls. Ganondorf's body blows up into black dust. I stare at him.

"That was…" Ookami starts to say something. "That was so badass!" she exclaims, tackling me. I feel the pain in my arm for the first time. I cry out. Ookami looks at it and says we'll need to get out as quickly as possible. I glance over at Link, who is sitting on the ground, practically bleeding out from his side.

"That wound's bigger," I point out. Ookami nods and helps Link up. We have to get him outside the Forest Temple and at least into the Kokiri Woods. "Let Dark Link help carry him," I pant, still trying to catch my breath. I can feel the blood from my arm dripping off my fingers.

"You'll feel the pain," Link coughs. I stare at him, eyebrows raised.

"It'll be way less pain than what you're feeling now. Make it snappy!" I instruct them. Dark Link scoops up Link and runs out the door. I collapse with the pain of the two. Ookami helps me up, trying to carry me, but not succeeding. It seems the pain in my arm is multiplied from the center of the Triforce. Goddess I hate being part of the Triforce! The electricity rattles my bones, my muscles ache, I can't breathe. I shut my eyes tightly, hoping that pain will at least lessen. Finally, after what seems like hours, the pain stops. Ookami helps me up, and we run out the door, Midna following.

"We'll tend to your wound after Link's," Ookami comments. I guide her through the woods, the blood still flowing from my arm. She turns back into a human, stumbling. I catch her and help her walk.

"Stupid Ganondorf," I mutter, holding the blood in with the other arm. I take my cloak out and use that to try to stop the blood. We find Dark Link and Link in Saria's old house. We dash inside, calling out for any Kokiri who have the slightest hint on what to do.

"My mother was a doctor," Ookami says, washing out Link's wound. He's out cold by now, but the wound won't stop bleeding from his side.

"We should call in a doctor from Castle Town," I suggest. "That wound is awfully close to some vital organs. Midna, do you think you can get there and back quickly?" I ask. She nods, floating out of the room. Ookami bandages Link up to the best of her ability.

"He had an old scar there that looked rather nasty," she comments, washing off my wound. I remember the flashback of the two of us in the woods.

"So it's true…" I murmur. Ookami ignores my muttering and bandages my wound. Dark Link allows her to sleep while he helps with my wound. Ookami curls up and sleeps in a chair.

"The transformation wears her out," he explains quietly, wrapping the white cloth around my arm. I sigh.

"We've all had a long day," I admit.

"Yeah. You'd better get some sleep," he says. I nod, yawning. I'm almost afraid to sleep. I can't help but think Ganondorf may be able to haunt me, or my old memories will crop up. Or maybe Link could die while I'm asleep. I shake my head. Worrying won't help. I curl up and fall asleep.

_"I don't want to get married!" I whine, pushing away from Naberius. He snarls at me, his fangs showing. I stare at him, scared. _

_ "You're already engaged to him," he growls. I continue walking, my pitch black cloak pulled over my head. Naberius's favorite color is black, so I was forced to wear a black cloak, with black clothes underneath. We finally make it to a dark part of the woods. "Rusl, you're here," Naberius says, his voice making me shake. Clearly it makes the man across from me shake as well. _

_ "Y-yes, master. I am here as his guardian," Rusl stutters. Naberius shoves me towards Rusl, making me fall on my hands and feet. I don't dare to look up. I wonder if this Rusl man is the man I'm supposed to marry. _

_ "Bring the boy forward," Naberius growls. I look up slightly, seeing a pair of brown boots step out from behind a tree. "I expect to see you in one year," Naberius sneers, disappearing with a flash of black dust. I stay down, the cloak still hiding me. _

_ "You can stand up now, Miriam," Rusl tells me. I stand up, keeping my head down. "Miriam, this is…"_

"Link! Link are you okay!?" Ookami exclaims. I dash over to the bed where Link was. He's on the floor now. "He fell out of the bed," she murmurs. I help her get him back onto it. He lets out a groan. We get him situated again, careful not to reopen his wounds. The flashback bothers me, making me want to stay up and think about it. I don't know who I was engaged to. Why would I be engaged? And who was that Naberius man? He was so frightening… I shake just thinking about him. I walk outside, staring at the stars. I wrap my cloak around me further, trying to keep the chills out. _What am I missing?_ I think. Whatever I'm missing out on, Link knows about it.

Chapter 17

We stay in Kokiri Forest until Link is well enough to travel. We make our way back to Ordon, listening for any sign of Ghirahim or Demise. So far, no one has heard anything about them. I suppose I should be a little calmer, since we're rid of Ganondorf, but I can't stop thinking about how the world is still in danger. I guess this is how Link feels all the time. He can get up and walk around now, but we're trying to be very careful not to open his wound again. Ookami, Dark Link, and Midna usually go out to Ordon Springs or to the ranch. I stay home with Link.

"You don't have to stay here, you know," Link says for the millionth time.

"Go back to sleep," I instruct, stirring the soup. Ookami had gone off and collect the apples for it. I take a spoon and try it. It tastes really good, surprisingly. Link doesn't heed my warning and stands up, using the chair as a crutch. "I told you to go back to sleep," I growl.

"I'm so bored of sleeping," he sighs.

"Well I want you sleeping until you're tired of sleeping and need to sleep some more," I tell him, putting the hot bowl of apple-cinnamon soup in front of him. He blows on it.

"I think I'm past that," he murmurs, trying it. I watch him, frowning. "When was the last time you went outside?" Link asks.

"Today," I lie.

"Liar. You haven't been out in days," he says. He's right. I haven't even stepped outside in days. I frown at him.

"Go back to sleep," I tell him, my mood sour.

"Wanna duel?" he grins.

"Go to sleep, Link," I scowl. Link looks at me playfully.

"How about… archery?" he suggest.

"Link."

"Hookshot?"

"Go to sleep!" I yell. A small burst of my magic makes the window shade slam shut, and the door burst open. Link sighs.

"If you had just gone outside you wouldn't have done that," he says. I ignore him and fix the door. My mind wanders back to the flashback I had a few weeks ago. _Who was I going to get married to? _I ask myself. Link stares at me from under his covers. I stare back. "I can't sleep," he says. I close another window shade and walk out the door, leaving him alone. Winter is here, that I know. It's freezing outside, and I have to wrap my cloak around me further, shivering. My birthday was probably weeks ago, but I don't know the exact day. It hasn't snowed yet. I love the snow.

_"Snowball fight!" Link laughs, throwing a snowball at me. I duck, making it hit Fado. Soon, the entire town is wrapped up in our snowball fight. _

The memories and flashbacks keep coming to me. I let my feet dangle from the ledge of the tree house, watching my breath steam up. I try to catch it with my hands.

"Catching your breath?" Midna grins. I look down and smile back.

"I love winter," I admit, sighing. A big puff of steam comes out of my nose, causing me to giggle. Ookami and Dark Link come out of the forest.

"You know, I don't mind winter. As long as it's snowing," Ookami says. I shake my head.

"I love the cold," I murmur.

"How's Link?" Lark asks. I leap down from the ledge, landing next to them.

"He's fine. Probably spying on us this very moment. He refuses to go to sleep. He's like a toddler, I swear," I laugh. We sit around, talking for a while. "There's hot soup on the table," I tell them. They all rush inside. I follow after them, my feet dragging on the frost. Link sits up, watching us.

"You know, your birthday is coming up," he reminds me. I laugh.

"I don't even know when my birthday is," I point out.

"It's on the first day of winter when it snows," he says. The flashback comes back to me, reminding me. I frown at it. "And I already have your gift," he says, his face grim. I stare blankly.

"Okay then," I murmur, taking off my cloak. "Ookami, do you want me to try to do your hair?" I ask her. I'm so bored it's killing me. I can't do hair to save a life, but I'm willing to try. She sits on the floor in front of me, her back towards me. I start to braid her hair.

"I didn't know you could do hair," Link says.

"I can't. I'm faking it," I tell him, concentrated on Ookami's hair. I comes out as one blonde braid. Not what I had in mind, but it'll do. "There. All done," I tell her. She looks at it.

"It's a braid."

"You're lucky it turned out that way," I tell her. We all sit and talk for a while, trying to figure out what to do about Ghirahim and Demise. The conclusion is: stay in Ordon until we hear news about some part of Hyrule being under attack. Or once we get word of a kidnapping. The pains that usually came when the Triforce members touched has completely stopped. "We'd better get to sleep," I tell them, yawning. Link stares at me. "What?"

"Hug?" he asks, his eyes big. I frown.

"Since when did you learn how to give the puppy-dog face?" I ask, alarmed.

"I've been practicing," he grins. I give him a gentle hug and crawl back up the ladder, curling up in my own bed. No dreams to bother me tonight, right?

_Wrong. I'm lying on the bottom of the Lost Woods, glancing around. Everything seems so large compared to me. I don't know why I'm not getting up from the ground. _

_ "This is your demon form," Naberius tells me. I shiver at his words. My demon form? What am I? I start to glance at myself, but the memory fades away._

"It's snowing!" Midna shouts. I sit up, glancing out the window. She's right-the snow is coming down in sheets, covering the town.

"Happy birthday, Miriam!" Ookami cheers. I crawl back down the ladder, too tired to think or complain. "What should we do for your birthday?" she asks. Link stands up, walking over to a chair and sitting in it.

"Let's give her some presents," he says. Ookami frowns.

"I didn't get her anything…" she sighs. "But Lark and I are working on a new saddle for Botan!" she smiles.

"That's sweet of you," I beam, starting on breakfast. Dark Link shoves me away from the pot.

"It's your birthday," he remarks. I shove him away roughly, claiming the fireplace.

"Therefore, I get to do what I want," I growl. "So how are you feeling?" I ask Link. He shrugs.

"I'd feel better if this thing would hurry up and heal…" he mutters, poking it. I slap his hand like a mother would to a child.

"No," I say firmly. He pouts, but I ignore him, putting the food in front of them.

"Okay, present time!" Ookami giggles. I frown.

"You didn't even get me anything," I remind her. She shrugs.

"Yeah, but Link did," she remarks. I look over at Link. He sighs.

"How much about your life did Ganondorf tell you?" he asks, suddenly serious.

"He told me I'm part demon," I remark.

"When I give you this present, your demon side will be released. You may or may not remember how to deal with it. After you learn how to transform back, it may bring memories back," he sighs. I nod solemnly. "Lock the door," he tells Ookami. She does as he asks and reaches under his tunic, pulling out the same Triforce necklace as before. I gasp at it. "You remember it," he says softly. I nod.

"I had a flashback…" I murmur. He takes it off of himself. I move my hair back so he can put it on me.

"You ready?" he asks. I nod and hear the clasp of the chain. A burst of light surrounds me, and I can feel my body shrinking. I close my eyes, not sure what to do. The change stops.

_Kill all, _a voice says. _They're just humans. There are plenty more._

"Fight it, Miriam," Ookami tells me. I shake the thoughts from my head. I glance back at my body. I have a long, slender tail, skinny legs, and I can feel my pointed ears. I'm not a dog, I can tell. I'm too small for that.

_Blood… Blood will ease the pain, _the voice says. I let out a growl at it. I sheathe and unsheathe my claws. _Take them. Get revenge. _Will this thing just stop it!? _Sink your teeth into their skin. Feel the blood-_

"Oh my goddess will you shut up!?" I hiss. Ookami stares at me. I concentrate and turn back into a human. "My goddess that thing was annoying!" I growl.

"You really are a cat!" Ookami giggles, hugging me. I frown.

"What did I look like?" I ask her.

"You were kind of funny looking. You had a really dark coat and red eyes. Your underbelly and paws were all a golden color, though, and you had the Triforce on your forehead," she remarks. I sigh.

"You said it'd bring back memories, but it didn't," I say to Link, standing up. "W-will you tell me about my life?" I ask. Link lets out a long sigh.

"I don't know whether you're ready to handle that or not," he tells me.

"I could handle it before, couldn't I?" I retort.

"Come on, let's go to Ordon Springs, and I'll explain it there," he says, tossing me my cloak. I wrap it over my shoulders and hand him his. They're almost identical. They're both a dark green color, but mine is rimmed with gold. His has the Triforce on the back. I help him down the ladder, and we walk to the springs in silence. Finally, we make it there. The water seems warm compared to the outside air. Link makes patterns in the sand, reminding me of our time at Zora's River, after my near drowning.

"Go ahead, Link," I urge. I can hardly wait to hear about my past.

"Whatever you do, promise you won't be mad at me," he says. I nod. Link starts.

"You grew up in your tree house, yes, but you had more than just Saria there. Your mother, Eira, helped raise you. She was, indeed, a Sheikah. She was attacked, however, and was killed by Ghirahim."

_"Mommy!" a little girl shouts. That's me. My hair goes down to my waist, and my green eyes are wet with tears. I glance over to where I'm looking. There's my mother, her brown hair wrapped up in a braid and her knives out. Ghirahim chuckles and turns into a sword. I know he'll kill her, and I can't stop it. _

"She went down with a fight, that's for sure." I fight the flashback, but I manage to hear the clang of metal and a scream. "Saria tried to raise you, but your father, Naberius-"

"Naberius is my father!?" I exclaim. The flashbacks come back. _He_ was the one who was trying to marry me off.

"Yes. He's also a faithful servant of the Demon King, Demise. Saria tried to hold him off, but he would kidnap you often. He taught you about magic, and when he got sick of feeding you, he'd leave you in the Lost Woods for Saria to find. She raised you as a Kokiri, green clothes and all. This cycle went on throughout your life. Your father would kidnap you, train you, and then throw you in the Lost Woods.

"It all ended when you were fifteen, though. Naberius kidnapped you but also told you that you were engaged to someone," Link gulps. "He brought you to the forest, in front of Rusl. You wore all black that day-even your cloak. You kept telling him you wouldn't get married, but he kept telling you that you would. Miriam, y-your father… Your father planned your engagement to get closer to the person. In all, you knew he would wind up killing that guy," he explains.

_"Lift your head up, Miriam," Rusl coos. I don't know whether I should be afraid or okay with this man. I lift my head barely, but I still can't see who is in front of me. _

"He wanted that person dead, so he decided he would play a game, you being his pawn. But you didn't want to play that game, and you retaliated. You wanted to escape his clutches," Link explains.

_"I'm his guardian, Rusl. It's a pleasure to have you in the family, Miriam."_

"You fought the whole time, but you and that person became friends. You were inseparable. You didn't want to be married to him. You didn't want to get married to-"

_"This is Link."_

"You," I say. Link's blue eyes stare at me. "I didn't want to get married to you. We were engaged. We… Link… What…?" I can't fit my head around it. No matter what way I look at it, it's too unbelievable. I can believe that I helped kill Ganondorf, I can believe that I'm the center of the Triforce, and I can believe that I'm half demon, but this is too big for me to believe. _You're engaged to the Hero of Time._

Chapter 18

I walk back from Ordon Springs, though my head is still spinning with thoughts. Ookami greets me, excited about what I learned.

"What happened?" she asks, smiling. I don't respond. I _can't_ respond. How am I supposed to respond? _'Oh nothing, really. I just learned that my demon father decided to make me engaged to the Hero of Time'_. Link doesn't say anything, either. His face says it all. It's a mixture of pity and embarrassment. I crawl back up the ladder. It's finally making sense now. The reason there are paper stars on Link's ceiling. He must have put them there for me. The reason he knew so much about me. I sit in front of the window, looking out at the snow.

"Big shock, huh?" Dark Link murmurs from behind me. I nod. "So, do you remember much from it?" he asks. I shake my head. "Do you want me to tell Ookami for you?" I shake my head again.

"I'll tell her," I speak up. Dark Link crawls back down the ladder and speaks softly to Ookami. Moments later, she crawls up the ladder next to me. She sits down next to me. Her position mirrors mine. "I'm engaged." She doesn't say anything for a moment.

"Why is that a bad thing?" she asks. I put my head in my hands.

"I'd like to get married on my own conditions," I tell her. She nods.

"That's understandable. If something doesn't end well, it's not the end," Ookami says. I look at her. I knew Ookami was smart, but I didn't expect for her to say something like that. "And anyway, you could have been stuck with worse."

"I guess you're right. Link's really nice," I smile. Ookami looks at me, shocked.

"And he's _hot!_" she giggles. I laugh, crawling back down the ladder. I sit across from Link. Midna stares at us in wonder (Link must have told her). I fold my hands and put my elbows on the table.

"Tell me more," I tell him. Link smiles.

"What do you want to know about?" he asks.

"Anything. Tell me anything about my life," I say. He explains that I came to live in Ordon after our meeting, and we didn't talk at first. Then, we agreed to be friends and wound up as best friends. He tells me about how he bought the tree house after spending so much time there. He explains how we fixed it up and talks about how we cleaned it up to look like this. For once, I wish my flashbacks would come and invade me. But I know they won't. "Why did I forget my memory…?" I ask him. Link sighs.

"You disappeared. I looked for you everywhere, but no one knew where you were. Saria refused to tell me. Most people assumed you were dead," he says. _His nose is twitching._ I ignore the voice. That would explain why most of the kids yelled out 'you're alive!' I sigh.

"Why would I do that…?" I wonder. Link shrugs.

"I don't know, but when I saw you back at the tree house, I realized it was you. I was really confused as why you didn't mention anything. I finally figured out that you didn't remember anything."

"Why did you stop talking?" I ask him. I don't care that I'm probably annoying him with all my questions, but all the answers to my life are in front of me.

"Most people didn't know I could speak in the first place, and your disappearance led to people saying I had gone mute. I went along with it, of course. I hadn't been able to speak until about a month before you came. I didn't completely lie to you when I said that Kotake and Koume had cursed me. I just… stretched it a little," he blushes. I nod, trying to take it all in. "Sorry about that," he murmurs.

"It's fine," I say, waving my hand carelessly.

"What else do you want for your birthday, Miriam?" Ookami asks, sitting next to Lark.

"For you and Lark to hurry up and get married or something," I mutter under my breath. Link hears me.

"Miriam!"

"What?" Lark and Ookami say in unison.

"Nothing," Midna grins.

"Let's throw a party!" Ookami giggles.

"How about no," I growl.

"You're no fun," she tells me.

"I don't need to be fun. I have swords," I remind her, standing up to withdraw them. The feeling of my duel swords is amazing.

"Let's throw a party anyway," Ookami says. I shake my head.

"No party. I'm too tired for a party. And there's enough that's gone on today as it is. I'm going riding," I say simply. No one really argues. "And no planning a surprise party behind my back." I walk out with my cloak over my shoulders. I run all the way to Fado's ranch and grab Aeris. I like Aeris. She's cool, calm, and collected. She's kind of like me. But she's a horse, and I'm half demon. I ride her at full speed, passing Ordon Springs and heading for Faron Springs instead. I even pass by there, and go through the tunnel.

"Woah, there, Miriam. What's the need for speed?" Coro laughs. I stop Aeris.

"No need. Just going to ride around for a while," I admit.

"It's rather cold out," Coro comments. I look at him. He's still wearing a shirt that shows his belly. I sigh. I wonder if he ever changes clothes.

"You should put some real clothes on," I say. I don't give him time to comment, because I begin to trot Aeris away from him, moving towards Hyrule Field. I decide against it, though, and ride back to Faron Springs. I take off my cloak and boots. Then, I think _whatever,_ and I wind up taking off everything but my shirt and skirt. I plunge into the freezing water. It's probably not smart, but I need to wake up from this dream. There's no way Link and I can be engaged. _This is the weirdest dream I've ever had._ I don't wake up from it, though. I stay in the shallow end, making sure not to drown. I get out of the water, shivering. I pull my clothes back on and wrap my cloak around me, trying to keep warm. I get bored, so I climb a tree and sit there, feet dangling. Aeris is smart enough to stay away from the water and keep her hooves warm.

I decide to test my demon form again, and I jump down from the tree and close my eyes, focusing. It's a lot more familiar to me than I thought it would be. It's probably because I used to transform all the time. I quickly morph into a funny-looking cat again. I glance into the water, looking at my reflection. I guess I'm rather large for a cat, though I still feel really tiny. I have a pair of bright red eyes, probably because of my demon and Sheikah cross. Aeris stares at me, seeming not to care. I transform back. _My goddess_ that wears me out! I mount Aeris again and ride back to Ordon Springs.

"You may not pass," Dark Link says, holding his hand in front of me. I raise my eyebrow at him.

"'scuse me?"

"She's planning a party for you."

"You really stink at keeping secrets, don't you?" I tell him, taking my sword and leaning against the hilt. He watches me.

"You really shouldn't do that with your sword."

"Whatever. My arm almost got chopped off. I got kidnapped twice. Every time two people from the Triforce touch, I feel pain. I think I can handle my sword."

"Whatever. Just don't pass. And act surprised when she throws this party for you," he tells me. I stare at him.

"Whatever makes the two of you a couple," I shrug.

"What?"

"Nothing. You seriously need to, like, I dunno. Go propose to her. She's practically obsessed with you, Lark," I sigh, rolling my eyes. "Men are so dense." I try to talk Dark Link into letting me pass, but he's about as stubborn as Mido. I finally give up and walk to Ordon Springs with Aeris. I munch on a green apple I hid in my bag from Link. Lark follows me over, patting Aeris. "I didn't know you were a fan of horses," I tell him.

"I like animals," he says. I nod and sit down.

"When can we go back? I'm cold," I whine. He stares at me.

"Never," he says. Lark has the perfect poker face.

"Please?"

"No." Well, I guess I'm not going anywhere. We sit there in the sand, poking the water. A bird call that seems horribly fake makes me turn my head. "You didn't hear that," Lark says, getting up. I'm guessing that's the cue for it's all good now. I stand up, dusting myself off and giving them a few minutes to get prepared. I grab Aeris's reins and guide her into the clearing. _What a shocker. No one's here._ I climb up the ladder, focused on nothing but warmth. I open the door.

"Not surprise!" Ookami shouts, throwing confetti around. She giggles as I stare at her strangely. "You were expecting a surprise party, so we decided it shouldn't be a surprise," she grins.

"Well for once, I'm surprised," I laugh. A few of the kids and others came in from around town. I watch as Ookami puts a plate of cake in front of me. I eat it quickly. Link plays the ocarina, and I dance with the kids. Finally, once it's their bedtime, everyone goes home.

"How'd you like your birthday?" Midna asks. I sigh, pretending to be sad.

"It was awesome!" I exclaim. They grin at me. I don't really know what to do for the rest of the day. It's been a really long day. Hell, it's been a long _month._ I learned that I'm the center of the Triforce, went on a journey with the Hero of Time, the Twilight Princess, a girl from another world, and the shadow of the Hero of Time, then I (temporarily) died, got kidnapped, went to a feast, wore a dress, ran away to get kidnapped by Ganondorf (again), and then killed him. Oh, and I found out I'm half demon, and I'm engaged to Link. It's been very long.

"Other than the fact that you're engaged to me?" Link says, unsure. I smile at him.

"I'm actually okay with that now, you know. I just needed time to think," I admit. He laughs.

"You said the same thing the first time," he remarks. "We'll work it out, don't worry. I'll find a way out of it," he assures me. I almost _don't_ want a way out of it. I don't say that, though.

"So have we heard anything from Naberius?" I ask.

"We were actually hoping you had…" Link admits. I shake my head.

"I didn't know he even existed until I had a flashback of him," I murmur, shivering. "Why are my eyes red when I'm in demon form?" I ask, trying to switch the subject around.

"You're half Sheikah. I don't have any clue why your eyes aren't already red. Your parents are Sheikah and demon, which would result in purple or red eyes, but you have greens eyes…" Link explains. "We always sort of wondered about that, but who knows. Your grandmother may have been Hylian or something," he says.

"So I'm half Sheikah, which, to Sheikah, that means I'm basically a full Sheikah, right?" I ask.

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Yes!" I grin. "I've always wanted to be a Sheikah. I suck with a bow and arrow, but I can certainly throw knives…" I beam. (I actually keep them in my boots.)

"You scare me," Dark Link says quietly.

"I should," I chuckle, letting my demonic powers take over. I don't transform this time, though. Something doesn't feel right.

"Oh yeah. I forgot about that," Link remarks. I frown.

"Forgot what?" I ask. Talking feels sort of weird. _Blood…_ "Oh my goddess I'm not even in my demonic form and this stupid voice is talking to me!" I hiss. I _literally_ hiss. I frown and catch a glance in the mirror. A freaky looking creature with bright red eyes glares back. My frown deepens. I have dark, dark blue cat ears and _whiskers. _I look at my hands. Or should I say my paws? I have paws for hands and feet. And dark, dark fur. "Gross," I comment. _Smell the blood. Seek the blood._ "Oh my goddess how do I get rid of this stupid voice?" I growl, my tail lashing back and forth. Okay, that is just the slightest bit cool to have a tail. I close my eyes and concentrate on changing back. I look in the mirror again, relieved to see my face with no whiskers.

"I'm going to bed," Link mutters, stifling a yawn. I nod, stretching.

"Me too," I murmur.

"Why don't you two share?" Ookami teases. I punch her in the arm and sit at my window, watching the snow fall outside. _Best birthday ever._

Chapter 19

_"You're finally here, Miriam," a grandiose… man… stands in front of me. Half of his face is covered with white hair, the other half has a lot of makeup. He wears a white outfit, nearly matching his pale-grey skin tone. The… man… has a red cloak draped around his shoulders. _

_ "Oh crap, another one!?" I whine. "What do you want with me now?" _

_ "Watch it, sister!" he growls. "I am the Demon Lord, Ghirahim-"_

_ "You're Ghirahim!? People didn't tell me you were so… _Fabulous._" I laugh. Ghirahim lets out a chuckle. _

_ "You have just filled my heart with rainbows, you know that?" _

_ "Well, what do you need, sir?" I ask him. I really don't respect any demon that has the nerve to visit me in my dreams, but I'll converse with him. _

_ "The Triforce members, of course," Ghirahim tells me. "Now, you can bring them to me, and we can get along, possibly even sit for tea. Or you can wait and let me kill you all," he snarls, his fist clenching. Someone's bipolar or has anger issues… or both… _

"Miriam! Wake up!" Ookami says, shaking me awake. Half of me wants to slap her really hard, but I know that wouldn't be nice.

"What!?" I hiss at her.

"Nothing. You just weren't the first one up, so we were worried," she remarks. I yawn. "Did you have any dreams last night?" she asks. I nod, crawling down the ladder. "What were they about?"

"Shut up and go down the stupid ladder and I'll tell everyone," I snap. I suppose Ghirahim's anger issues may have rubbed off on me. I finally make it to the fireplace, where I make breakfast. I shove the bowls in front of them. "Ghirahim talked to me in my dream last night," I tell them. "He was much different than Ganondorf." Link lets out a snort of laughter.

"That's an understatement," he says.

"Yeah, well, we're keeping you away from him. I feel like he'd have a crush on you," I tell him. Link stares at me blankly. "He wants all the Triforce members again. For the love of Nayru, this is getting old," I hiss.

"Tell me about it," Link frowns. Poor Link has dealt with Ganondorf and Ghirahim way more than any of us. "Where is he?"

"I don't have any clue. He forgot that part," I laugh. "I guess I have an excuse to not go visit him," I say, yawning. I look over at Lark and Ookami. She's sitting in his lap. _She's sitting. In. His. Lap. _Goddess those two are cute! I poke Link and point to the two, who seem perfectly content. He grins and helps me with the dishes. I sit back down at the table. "So what are we going to do?" I ask them.

"Plan your marriage," Ookami says. I frown at her.

"Any other ideas?"

"We should probably find a way of locating him before he kills us all…" Lark points out. Ookami's still on his lap.

"Goddess you two are cute!" I squeal. They stare at me. "Maybe I can find him if I concentrate," I say. They all seem to agree, so I shut my eyes, concentrating on the grandiose demon.

_"Where are you?" I ask him. _

_ "Oh right. I forgot to tell you. I'm sorry, darling," he laughs. "I'm in Kakariko." I sigh. _

_ "Okay. Just don't kill anyone, okay?" I tell him. _

_ "No promises."_

I shake myself back to reality and fill them in on what Ghirahim said. I stand up, pacing. I must be taking after Link.

"Get ready to go to Kakariko," I tell them, already grabbing my green cloak. I glance over at Link. "Who gave me this?" I ask him.

"Naberius," he answers. I throw it on the ground and stomp on it. The others stare at me.

"I'm burning this," I tell them. It's pretty gross already, since it has been through a lot.

"I guess I'll get you another cloak as a birthday present," Lark remarks. "What color do you want it in?"

"Pink!" Ookami grins. I frown at her.

"Dark blue," I tell him. He nods, sipping his drink. "Now, let's get going," I tell them. It's kind of hard to get enough supplies in the middle of winter, and I won't have a cloak (I tore it, actually), so it should be pretty miserable when we travel. Link hands me one of his cloaks, even though it's kind of oversized. I nearly trip on it, but I'm grateful for its warmth. We finally take off on Epona and Geno. I try to make Botan stay, but he follows us anyway. I hold tight to Link for warmth. His cloak is flowing out behind me. I use one hand to hold the cloak from catching on anything and the other arm to hold on. I put my head on his back and begin to doze off.

"No sleeping," he tells me. I giggle.

"Why's that?" I ask him.

"If you fall asleep, I won't have anyone to talk to."

"You have Midna, Ookami, and Lark. And Epona, of course," I grin.

"Yeah, but Ookami and Dark are too busy flirting, and Midna will just boss me around," he says.

"Hey!" Midna shouts, suddenly on Botan's back.

"It's true," he reminds her. I laugh and try to stay awake. I wonder what it'd be like to travel in my demon form. Now that I think about it, it'd probably just drive me up a wall of insanity to hear that voice in my head. The snow crunches under the horses' feet, and the steam comes out of their noses. I love winter. We pass by Coro, who looks cold enough to catch frostbite. I shake my head at him and yell at him for not putting real clothes on.

We make it to Hyrule Field, where we let the horses rest. Link helps me off. I pull the cloak around tighter and hug him, trying to stay warm. Ookami seems to have had the same idea, because she's desperately hugging Lark. Midna doesn't seem to be affected by any of this. Botan and the horses seem okay, since they've been running. I'm glad I have my gloves on.

"I'm c-cold," I shiver, still hugging Link. He laughs.

"I figured you were," he says. Finally, after the horses calm down, we start to travel again. "It shouldn't take too long to reach Kakariko." We ride for a while, and I have to force myself to keep my eyes open. It's really, hard, though… We finally make it to the Bridge of Eldin. By now, it's around noon. I look around. It's so pretty out here. We dismount the horses to look at the bridge. It's really windy up here, though.

"Well, I said Kakariko, but this location is… So gorgeous," a voice says. We spin around. Ghirahim stands in front of us. He's already taken off his red cloak.

"Ghirahim! Welcome," I tell him, flashing him a cocky grin.

"Where are the other members?" he asks, glancing around.

"They're not here. We didn't bring them," I say. He scowls violently.

"You half-bred kitten! Now you're going to have to DIE!" he shouts, his body beginning to cover into a mist of black. He shouts, and suddenly a burst of black shoots up from the ground, surrounding him like a volcano. Link grabs my arm and pulls me away. Left in the place of the black volcano is someone in a metallic black with white wrapping around him. His hair is white. I stare at Ghirahim's true form. I rapidly pull out my swords.

"Alright. Apparently we're going to have to battle on the Bridge of Eldin… Cool!" I grin. Both Links unsheathe their swords, and Ookami pulls out her bow and arrows. "Let's go!" I grin, charging at Ghirahim.

_"If he doesn't know I have my memory, he can't trace me."_

I snap out of the memory and continue to charge at Ghirahim. "Let's go, sword boy!" I grin. I attack him with both swords, but I have no affect on him. He deflects it easily. The cloak Link gave me has fallen off already. Link and Dark Link try to attack, but again, he's deflecting everything. Ookami shoots an arrow, but it reflects off. Well _Din._

"_If I drink the potion, no one will find me. I won't remember anything."_

The memory alarms me, giving Ghirahim enough time to come near Ookami. "Back off, Ghirahim!" I shout, stabbing near his back. It finally makes some damage. _You just have to surprise him, _I tell myself. He shouts, but he refuses to turn around. Ookami can't run fast enough. She trips on the ground, giving Ghirahim enough time to slice a good sized wound on her leg. She lets out a horrible scream. Dark Link runs to her side, swearing at the goddesses. "Turn and face me, demon!" I shout, angry. I feel my demon form tugging on me. I reach up and touch the Triforce necklace around my neck. Instantly, I transform into my half-demon form.

"Here, kitty, kitty," Ghirahim coos cruelly. I hiss. It's hard to hold onto my sword with claws. I sheathe my swords and charge at Ghirahim. _Blood… Embrace the blood…_ my demon voice tells me. For once, I embrace it and let it take over. Link helps to charge from his other side, stabbing where he can. I sink my teeth into his steely skin, tasting what seems like blood. I back up and turn back into my human form. I unsheathe my swords, though I feel a little tired from the transition.

"I hope you're ready to die, Ghirahim," Dark Link says, standing up from Ookami, who still looks like she's in intense pain. He looks _pissed._ I grin. Thank the goddesses that he's so attached to Ookami. I find a moment to rush over to Ookami and check on her leg.

"You're going to need stitches," I tell her. She nods, still in pain. The horses have run off to the other side of the bridge. "Botan! Pull her away," I tell him. Midna helps me lift her onto Botan, where he dashes off the bridge. I turn to face Ghirahim again. He has Lark pinned to the bridge, using his sharp hands to cut into his face. I charge at him. "That's my friend, you idiot!" I yell, giving Ghirahim a good kick in the head. I charge at him with my swords, but he knocks one of them from my hand. It lands on the edge of the bridge, barely able to balance. I'm still tired from my transformation, but the adrenaline is forcing me to keep moving. I hold my sword and charge at him again. He knocks it away.

_"I have to do this!" I tell myself. The potion in my hand is a dark purple color, and it moves in front of me. I take the cork off and smell it. It smells… Fresh. _

"You scared now, kitty?" he grins. I frown, backing away from him. I reach the edge of the bridge. Link is running towards me, but he's not going to be in time. I let out a shout and look down. A rock falls, and I don't hear or see its impact. The fog covers wherever the bottom of the ravine is. "Let me give you a good push," Ghirahim grins. I scream again. He takes my shoulders and pushes me. It's like I'm falling in slow-motion. My fright of heights isn't helping, either.

_"I can't fight this…" I whisper to myself. I only talk to myself when I'm stressed. I close my eyes and bring the jar to my lips, gulping it all down. The memories start to fade… Why am I here with this jar in my hand? _

My hands find a hold on the bridge. Ghirahim stands over the top of me, his feet ready to squish my hands and make me fall. Link's coming. _Please run faster._

_"I'd better get ready for dinner," I say, smiling to myself. Why can't I remember everything that went on before this? Was I picking berries for a pie? Was I hunting? I try to think of this last year. I know I had a great time this past year. I can feel it in my bones that I had a great time. But why? What did I do? _

"Please…" I beg him. Ghirahim stomps on one of my hands, causing me to let out another scream. My other arm aches from holding myself up.

"I show no mercy," Ghirahim grins, lifting his other foot to stomp on my other hand.

"GET AWAY FROM HER, YOU SON OF A-" Link doesn't finish, because Ghirahim disappears into a puff of black smoke.

_"Link, how are we going to get married?" I ask him, my head in my hands. He paces around the kitchen._

_ "If we don't, then your father will find us and hunt us down."_

_ "We could kill him," I point out._

_ "He's too powerful for that," Link reminds me. I sigh. _

_ "Link, he searches for me by my memory. If I have my memory, then he can find me. If I lose it, though, he won't be able to find me!" I exclaim. _

_ "No, because then you wouldn't remember who you are," Link says, shooting down my idea. I don't say anything, but I know what I'm going to do. I'm taking a memory potion tonight. I'll ride back to my home in the Kokiri Woods and take a memory potion. Otherwise, Link won't survive. I'll have to marry him, fall in love with him, and then have him taken from me. I won't let that happen again._

I gasp out of the memory. That's not the only one. Every single one of them comes flowing back. I finally know who I am. I know why I lost my memory. _It was to protect Link._ My fingers start to slip.

"A little help here!" I yell. Link grabs my hand and hoists me back up. I nearly collapse from the exhaustion. "Come on, let's get Ookami," I tell him, scooping up my swords and running to Ookami. It doesn't seem nearly as cold or windy as it did earlier. The adrenaline rush is leaving me tired, though. I'm literally shaking. I recovered all of my memories. It's great to have them back, but now Naberius can find me. We run over to Ookami (I more or less stumble over to her), and we try to treat her wounds. I'm shaking. It's not from the cold or the exhaustion, though. It's because _I remember._ I remember that I'm the one who erased my memory. I remember all of Link and I's time together. I know I should tell him, but I'm really not sure.

"Hey, let's get back to Kakariko so you can rest," Link says to me. I nod but don't move. He picks me up and sets me on Epona. I can hardly hold onto Link. The guilt fills inside of me, ready to explode. We make it to Kakariko, and Link literally has to carry me inside. I fall asleep in his arms, not even sure whether my head hits a pillow or not.

Chapter 20

My body aches. I can hardly get up, and my head is pounding. I let out a groan. A little lump is lying on the bed next to mine. I remember all of yesterday, and I realize that I regained my memory. _All_ of my memory. And now the guilt is sinking back in. I have to tell Link. But I _can't_ tell Link. That'd be like emotional suicide. The little lump moves slightly. I realize that it's Ookami, and I get up to check on her.

"Don't touch her," a crackly voice says. I spin around. A bug-eyed old man with white hair and a funny looking blue outfit stares at me. I stare back. He's shorter than me.

"And who are you?" I ask, putting my hands on my hips. His face stays the same.

"I'm the professor."

"What's your name?"

"The Professor." Well this conversation isn't getting anywhere.

"Are you a doctor or something?" I ask him. Link comes in the door, Lark following. "Who is this?" I ask them.

"That's The Professor. He's taking care of Oki's leg," Lark says. I stare at him. He still has cuts on his face that look pretty nasty.

"Oki?"

"Yeah, Oki."

"Okay then. Well, why is 'The Professor' watching over her?"

"Because he's the closest thing to a doctor, and he came into town a few days ago. He usually studies marine life, but he's worked with stitches before, so he helped out Ookami," Link explains. I nod, but don't look directly at him. The guilt literally hurts.

"What…?" Ookami mumbles, stretching.

"Go back to sleep," I instruct her. I sit down on the cot, holding my head in my hands.

"You okay?" Link asks, sitting next to me. He puts his arm on my back. I squirm away from him, the guilt making me horribly uncomfortable.

"Headache," I say quickly, my voice a little higher than it really needs to be. He stares at me strangely but stands up and walks away. "I, uh, think I'll take another nap," I tell them, curling up on the bed. I fall asleep almost instantly.

_"You're in Kakariko, huh?" a familiar voice says. It runs chills down my spine and sends me looking for cover. "I knew you would recover your memory."_

_ "Get away from me, Naberius!" I shout. _

_ "You mean Father, don't you?" he grins. I stare into his red eyes and shake. Not many things scare me, but he's definitely at the top of my list._

_ "Please… Leave me alone, Naberius," I beg. _

_ "You and Link still aren't married!?" he screams. I shake more. _

_ "Please, Naberius…"_

_ "And I hear my own daughter decided to try to kill the Demon Lord Ghirahim. You stupid witch!" he spits. I can't help but tremble at his every word. "You defied your own father, you tried to kill one of your kind, and you killed Ganondorf! Our king, Ganondorf!" he shrieks. My eyes brim with tears. What will he do to me? _

_ "Please! Please don't hurt us!" I yell. _

_ "Just wait and see, daughter. I'm coming, so be prepared," he snarls. _

"Miriam! Wake up!" Link says. My eyes flash open. I realize that I'm still shaking, and the tears are rolling down my cheeks. I brush them away, trying to look like nothing happened. Link hugs me. "You can't hide the fact that you were afraid, Miriam," he tells me. He's right. I'm literally shaking with fear and anger. "Go ahead and cry, Miriam. He found you, didn't he?" Link whispers. I nod, the tears rolling down my cheeks. Naberius' arrival can only mean one thing: _pain._

"He knows where I am…" I murmur.

"He couldn't know where you are unless…" Link starts. I nod, burying my head into his chest and letting out another sob. "You remember…" he says softly. I sit there for a few minutes, crying. A rustle nearby makes me look up.

"Miriam… What's wrong?" Ookami asks quietly. Link shakes his head at her. She doesn't say anything. I sit up straighter, hiccupping.

"I remember everything. Naberius is after us," I murmur. Hiccup. I hate how every time I cry, I hiccup afterwards. No wonder why I hate crying. Botan (who let him in here!?) comes waddling over. I realize he's gotten a little fat. I throw my arms around him. I've stopped shaking, and I'm nearly done hiccupping, but the shock is finally settling in.

"Let's go back to Ordon. We'll be more prepared there," Link says. "How do you feel, Ookami?" he asks.

"She's not well enough to travel," Lark frowns.

"She'll do fine as long as you don't shake her around too much," The Professor comments. I sigh, standing up.

"Let's go." Minutes later, we're riding on the horses again. None of us have spoken much since I woke up. We ride through the snowy Hyrule Field, the wind making our noses cold. My heart sinks a little when I remember that I still have to tell Link that I was the one who took the potion. I know he'll be mad. He doesn't get mad easily, but he's always been really protective over me. It's nice to know as much about Link as he does about me. I finally have my memory back. I remember that we used to ride through Faron Woods. I remember we used to sit and talk to Coro. I remember we attended a party where we had to dance-where Link learned that I was a bad dancer. I remember playing with the kids while Link was working for Fado. I remember using throwing knives for hunting. _I remember._

"Hey, you. We're almost home," Link says over his shoulder at me. I sit up, looking around. He's right. We're on the bridge to Ordon Springs. Link rides Epona into the springs. "You guys go on ahead," he says, hopping off Epona. He helps me off as well, and then sends Epona back to the house. Link looks at me. "What happened?" he asks. I look at the ground, the guilt building up. "What. Happened!?" he demands, his voice louder. I catch a quick glimpse of his eyes. He looks very impatient.

"I…" I stutter. Tears well up in my eyes. _I can't cry! _

"What happened, Miriam!?" he asks, stepping closer to me. I step back. Finally, I fall to the ground, my head in my hands.

"I… I took the memory potion!" I mumble. Link takes my hand and pulls me back up. "I did it so that he wouldn't find us, Link!"

"No you didn't. You did it because you were afraid," he retorts.

"Yes! I was afraid of Naberius. Can you blame me?" I cry.

"No, Miriam. You were afraid of something different," he growls, his blue eyes filled with anger. I frown back. The tears stop falling. Now I'm angry and confused.

"What? What else could have possibly scared me? I spent my time locked in a temple as a child. I watched my _mother_ die! Every time that one of the Triforce members touched each other, I felt pain. What could have possibly scared me?"

"Us," Link says, his voice low and angry.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Link. We're _engaged,_ for Nayru's sake! I didn't deny it. Not once. I don't get it, Link. The only thing that scared me was Naberius. Don't you-" I don't finish. Link grabs my hand and my waist, slamming me against the rock wall of the springs, right next to the tunnel. He looks down at me and leans over. He kisses me, making me struggle to breathe. My heart pounds in my head. He pulls away.

"That's what you were afraid of," he whispers, his voice uneven with anger. I can't even breath I'm so shocked. He walks away, heading for the tree house. I slide down the rock wall and sit there. My heart still races, and I can't help but relive it over and over again. _Did that really happen? _I don't know whether I should be mad, confused, happy, sad, or just plain freaked out. I get up, still a little shaky, and make my way to the springs. I bend over and touch the water, hoping that it will calm me down. It doesn't. I stand up, sighing.

"What happened?" a voice asks. I turn around rapidly. I find Link's shadow staring at me. He walks over, sitting next to the water, letting it wash over his boots. I sit down next to him. "Link didn't even come inside. He just started chopping wood. We do that when we're angry," he says. I put my head on my knees and sigh again.

"We fought a little… Then…" I can't even say it. I shake my head. "We need to prepare for Naberius. We can't let him take us by surprise," I say, standing up. I can't let my emotions get to me. I have to push them out. Lark stands up next to me.

"Just promise me one thing," Lark says, getting close. _Oh Farore._

"W-what?" I ask, scared.

"That… That we'll always be…" _Here it comes… What is he going to say? _"That we'll always be brother and sister," he says. I smile at him.

"Of course. I pinky swear," I tell him, holding out my pinky. We shake on it. I'm happy that we made this pact. I've always wanted a sibling. I feel like I would be really bad at being one, but I suppose that doesn't matter to Lark.

"Come on, let's head back so we can get ready for Naberius," Lark says. I stand stiffly. "What?" he asks. I look at the ground.

"Then I'll have to face Link…" I mutter. "You're my big brother, so you'll check and see if he's there, right?" I beg him, trying to give him a puppy face. Lark sighs.

"Okay, but only if you don't give me that face ever again," he chuckles. I grin and hug him.

"You're the best big brother ever!" I grin. He shakes his head, laughing at me. I follow him near the tree house and hide behind a tree. He walks towards the house casually. Then, he motions for me to follow. I walk out, my head down. Then, I rapidly climb up the ladder after Lark. We walk inside. Ookami smiles at us. Midna naps in the corner. _No sign of Link. This is good,_ I think to myself. Then, someone emerges from the basement. He looks at us, his face neutral. We make eye contact for a moment, then turn away. Ookami looks at us, horribly confused. She starts to say something, but Lark cuts her off.

"So, Oki, what's for dinner?" he asks her. I am really glad that Lark and I are like brother and sister now.

"Oh, I was thinking that Miriam was going to make something, but I guess I could, if you'd like," she says merrily. She's totally oblivious to anything that's going on.

"I'll make dinner," I volunteer. It gives me a reason to sit around the fireplace and not make eye contact with anyone. I focus on getting ready for Naberius. "We have to train for Naberius," I tell them. They all look at me blankly. "If we're going to defeat him, we're going to have to train well. He knows me too well, and he'll be protected from all of my tactics. If I can master my half-demon form, it should be easier. Ookami, you need to practice your archery and swordsmanship. Lark, you need to work on something long distance like archery or throwing knives. If we practice a lot, we should be good," I tell them. I purposely left out Link. I don't want to talk about him.

"What should I do?" Midna asks. I frown, thinking.

"You should probably help the rest of us-help us prepare. You've pretty much mastered that hair of yours. Maybe you should help us fight by staying back and looking out for us," I tell her. She doesn't seem very happy about the fact that she won't be battling, but she doesn't argue. "Any other questions?" I inquire. I can feel Link looking at me, but I shove those emotions out of my head. I can't deal with those right now when I'm about to go battle and kill the man who made my life a freaking misery. We eat our dinner, talking about strategies and how to prepare. I remind them to sleep with their weapons nearby. Then, we all sit around, talking for a while. While Lark and I are talking, Ookami moves her stool right behind Lark. She leans against him with her arms around his neck and her head on his shoulder. Lark seems uncomfortable.

"Ookami, what are you doing?" he asks her.

"Hm? Nothing," she replies. We start talking again, although Lark still seems pretty uncomfortable. After a little bit, Ookami knocks Lark's hat off, revealing his black hair. She absentmindedly strokes his head.

"Now what are you doing?" Lark asks as he starts blushing.

"Nothing, Lark."

"Ookami, seriously, what are you doing?"

"Do you really mind this? Then shush." We try our best to continue talking, but Lark keeps blushing and stops speaking. I notice Ookami grab something out of her pocket. She keeps it in her hand and resumes her obsession with Lark's hair. She grabs his ear.

"Ow! What was that?"

"Quit moving, silly." She lets go, and Lark turns around, looking very annoyed.

"What did you do to me?"

"Lark," I point out. "Your ear." Ookami hands him a small mirror, and he looks into it. He now sports a small, silver earring.

"You said you wanted one," Ookami replies.

"Well, thanks."

"You're welcome," she says with a smile. Lark leans over and kisses Ookami's cheek. Then, he gets up and walks outside.

"I'll go tend to the horses," he says as he shuts the door. I glance over at Ookami, whose face is as red as Din's fire. I'm really in no place to say anything at this point, so I simply change the subject.

"How's your leg?" I ask her.

"Oh, my leg? It's good," she murmurs, her face still red. I can't help but let out a giggle. She throws me a wicked look.

"Come on, you. We need to start practicing," I tell her, grabbing her wrist and taking her outside. Midna is stuck with Link now. As long as I don't have to be alone with him, I'm okay. We walk all the way into Faron Woods, where we set up a practice dummy. I hit the daylights out of it, throwing all of my anger and pain into it. It gets mauled. Ookami hasn't even had a shot at it. "What was _that _about!?" she exclaims. I sigh.

"Nothing. I'm just getting ready to beat Naberius," I murmur. "Come on, let's see what you can do with a sword," I say, handing her one of mine. She does pretty well, though it's clear there's not much sword practice in her world. "Watch, like this. You have to balance it," I tell her.

"Like your emotions?" she hisses. I stare at her. "Miriam, you're trying to hide your emotions in your work. You're crystal clear, though," Ookami says. I sigh.

"Not now, Ookami. We've got to finish this, okay? If we're not prepared, he'll kill us," I say, shaking my head. "Come on. There's no time for emotions." I jump up and kick the dummy, then deliver a blow to the stomach. Then, I pick up two sticks. "Here, let's practice with these," I tell her. We struggle against each other, practicing and practicing until we're finally too worn out to practice any more. It feels great to be tired enough that my emotions don't matter.

"Wanna practice archery?" Ookami suggests.

"I hate archery. But I'll practice knife throwing," I say, pulling some out of my boots. The poor dummy is completely slaughtered after we're done. "Come on, let's go back," I say, digging the dummy out of the ground. It's too dark to really see much, though the moon helps a little. Ookami follows me back to Ordon, where we get to sleep. I stay up most of the night. I'm too scared to fall asleep. I'm scared that Naberius will visit me again. It's funny. I could stand visits from the evil King Ganondorf, the Demon Lord Ghirahim, and even see my past, but now that I can dream of my demon father, I'm too scared to fall asleep. I know I should probably rest if I'm going to fight him, but I just stare at the stars. At some point, I really do fall asleep.

Chapter 21

We've been training for nearly a week now. Our bones ache, our heads hurt, and we're tired. I haven't been sleeping too well, either. Link hasn't spoken a word to me since our fight, and I don't think he plans on it anytime soon. Once we defeat Naberius, we can all go back to our lives. Dark Link and Midna can go live in the Twilight Realm, Ookami can go back to her world, Link stays in Ordon, and I'll go back to Kokiri Woods. We've been friends for what seems like years, though it's only been about two months.

I can't think of my emotions. I've blocked them all out. If I try to face them now, I'll never stop. If I throw myself into my work, I'll be able to conquer Naberius, go home, and think about my emotions all I want. Right now, however, I need to train. I think I've kind of scared everyone with how emotionless I am. I don't really smile much, I don't crack jokes, and the only thing I talk about is strategies. My entire mind is overcome with how to fight.

"Kick from Miriam," Midna instructs. She took my recommendation and is now the advice-giver. We've been through so many dummies that Link and Dark Link now have to stay up to repair or make more. I give the dummy a powerful side kick. Midna instructs us over and over again. "Break!" she yells. We stop, all of us panting.

"What happens if he brings a swarm of Darknuts or Redeads?" Ookami asks. Her job is to go through every single dilemma she can think of. I've already thought of this one.

"Then you'll run into town and hide the children in Mayor Bo's basement and tell the men to attack. Midna will go to Castle Town, Kakariko, or Kokiri Forest to round up whatever people she can find, and Lark, Link, and I will all hold off the swarm," I tell her. Even Botan is ready for this fight. He's decked out in his new armor that Ookami and Lark made. Any moment that I'm not busy training myself and the others, I'm training him. He's gotten to be bigger than most Bullbos, too. "Start working on armor for Geno and Epona," I tell Lark. He nods.

"Don't you think we're a little over prepared?" Midna asks. I stare at her, my face emotionless.

"It's better we be over prepared rather than dead," I point out. She nods. I'm right. Somewhere, deep, deep down, I'm more scared than anyone. I'm scared of Naberius killing me, of the pain that I know he'll show me if something happens. I hide a shiver and continue walking.

"Oh, Miriam, here's that new cloak you wanted," Lark says, handing me a dark blue cloak with gold trim. The back, much like Link's, has the Triforce symbol. I smile at him.

"Thank you, Lark," I say. I wrap it around me. I have no clue how he could have gotten his hands on this, but I don't ask questions. I hear the rustle of leaves or feathers, and I turn around. Nothing's there. I shake my head and continue walking. "If Naberius attacks in the middle of the night, make sure to grab some lanterns with oil. He'll be able to see in the middle of the night, we won't. I'll transform into my half demon form to see better, since cats can see in the dark better-" Another bird.

"What is it, boss?" Midna asks, floating along. I shake my head.

"I'm just imagining things," I tell her.

"Lack of sleep," Lark comments. I frown at him. Ookami lets out a shout. We all turn towards her. A giant owl has landed on a branch in front of her. It proceeds to creep us all out by turning its head back and forth. It hurts my neck just watching that thing.

"Kaepora Gaebora… Great…" Ookami mutters, sighing. I feel the exact same way, actually. I hate that stupid owl. Once, I almost threw a knife at him. Link had to stop me, though. Some days I wish that I didn't remember everything. Like how much I hate Kaepora Gaebora. I look around. No one else likes him, either, by the look on their faces.

"Hello, heroes. There is trouble in Gerudo Valley, and you are to go there as quickly as possible. The sages sent me. Hoot hoot! This is your fate! Don't feel discouraged, even during the toughest times! Go straight away past Hyrule Castle. Careful not to get caught by the Gerudos! Hoot hoot!" –see if I don't slaughter him so he can stop hoot hooting- "I can always lend you a wing, you know! Hoooo hoot! I always thought you were a legend, you know. Hoo would have thought? Oh, how are you, Miriam? Hoot! Link, you have fully matured as an adult. I will continue to watch you. Do you want to hear that again?"

"NO!" we all scream in unison.

"Hoot! Go to Gerudo Valley! Hoot!" he flies off (thank the goddesses). I turn to the others.

"I suppose we're going to have put our training plans on hold while we go rescue Gerudo Valley," I tell them, putting my hands on my hips.

"Yes!" they cheer. I sigh, shaking my head.

"Well then we'd better go pack, huh?" I say. We run back to the house, our lungs cold with frost. I wonder if it's warm in Gerudo Valley. I want it to be cold there, but it's a desert, so it probably won't be. I sigh. I don't know how I'm going to ride there. It'll be very awkward, that's for sure. If I have to ride with Link… I guess I could bring along Aeris or just ride on Botan if I'm really desperate. But then Ookami will be stupid enough to ask _why_ I'm riding Botan and it'll get annoying. I suppose I'll have to deal with the awkwardness. I'm pretty much the only one packing, really. Ookami and Lark are flirting, Link is tending to the horses, and Midna is sleeping.

"I'm so excited! I finally get to see Gerudo Valley!" Ookami grins.

"It's really not that exciting…" I tell her. I remember going there once with Link when he had to gather some sages for something. Nabooru and I got along nicely. We have similar personalities, I suppose. We finish packing soon and begin to head out. I hold onto Link, though not as tightly as I used to. We won't be going very far today, but we'll probably make it to Castle Town by midnight.

»•§•«

"Miriam, are you awake?" a voice asks. I sit up, glancing around the dark. We're staying at Madame Moreau's again. She was very happy to see us.

"What is it?" I mumble, scratching my head. A figure stands next to my bed. I reach over to the other side and pull out my swords. I don't do well when I'm tired.

"Easy, Miriam. It's me, Ookami," she says. I sigh, putting the sword down.

"What is it?" I ask her, turning on a lamp. I sit up, sitting with my legs crossed over each other. Ookami sits on the other end, mirroring my position. She bites her lip.

"I had a nightmare," she sighs. I frown. Well, I suppose I'm the one to see when someone has a nightmare.

"What was it about?" I ask her. I can tell she's trying really hard to hide some sort of emotion under her. I can't tell if she's ready to cry or if she's about to burst out in laughter.

"About how you and Link wouldn't get married!" she exclaims, grabbing a pillow and hitting me with it. _Really?_ _Hasn't she learned not to mess with me? _I grab a pillow and hit her back.

"You woke me up for that!?" I exclaim, giggling. I suppose we make quite the racket, because Lark and Link show up at our door.

"We heard a noise. What happened?" Link asks. Ookami and I are sitting on the floor, our hair sticking up on end, pillows in our hands. I let a guilty little smile creep across my face.

"Ookami started it!" I say, getting up and smoothing by hair back casually. Lark sighs and helps Ookami up.

"What have I told you about starting pillow fights?" he teases. She giggles.

"No really, though. I couldn't sleep. So I decided to bug Miriam," she shrugs. I stare at her.

"So you woke me up to have a pillow fight?" I say. I can't help but giggle a little. "Alright, get to sleep everyone," I say, turning the lamp off and kicking the Links out. I'm left to go to sleep again. This time, I have no disruptions.

»•§•«

"Miriam, are you awake?" a voice says. I grab my pillow quickly and start hitting whoever it is who woke me up. "Stop it!" they yell. I stop, smoothing my hair back. A dusty brown haired boy with green eyes grins at me. Gosh he's stunning.

"Favian!?" I exclaim. I can't tell whether I should panic, be happy, or slap him.

"Hey, Miriam! I heard you were in town, so I decided to stop by for a visit," he winks, pulling a rose from behind him. I glare at him.

"You do know I'm not stupid, right?" I tell him flatly. He sighs, sitting down next to me. "Who let you in, anyway?" I hiss, looking around. I find Ookami trying to eavesdrop from behind a plant.

"Your blonde friend let me in. And yes, I know you're not stupid. But I figured Link isn't the type to give people flowers, and you deserve it, so take it. Miriam, I have no love interest in you, I promise. I just want to be friends," he says. I sigh. Well, now that I remember that Favian and I were actually friends before, (okay maybe a little more than friends) I realize that Link had a reason to be mad at the feast.

"Hey… At the feast, how did you figure out I had lost my memory?" I ask him. He chuckles softly.

"Link told me, actually. He pulled me aside, telling me not to tell you anything, so I just danced with you and acted like I didn't know you," he says. I nod, taking it all in.

"Well, I have to get going now," I say quickly, getting up. My face is already turning a little red.

"Miriam, wait. I'm sorry for barging in on you like this," Favian says, scratching his head. I glare at him.

"You'd better be, town boy. I can't believe you thought that a smile and a flower would make everything okay. Not to mention that you took advantage of me forgetting my memory at the feast," I snap. Favian walks away without another word. Ookami creeps out from behind the pot. I sit on the bed, head in my hands.

"More than friends, huh?" she asks. I nod.

"Yeah, he was. And then he was, not surprisingly, found with another girl," I answer flatly. "Come on, let's get ready," I sigh, standing up again. We pack up and get ready to go. My mood goes from bad to worse when I remember that I'll have to ride on Epona with Link. We start traveling across Hyrule again. I hate traveling, especially during winter. While I love the cold, it's really not a great traveling condition. The wind doesn't hit me, though. Link's there to block it. We finally reach the desert, where suddenly, it's really hot. I quickly take off my new cloak and stuff it in my bag.

"Welcome to Gerudo Valley," Midna grins. "It's awfully hot down here," she sighs, fanning herself with her hand.

"It's not like it matters to you. You aren't wearing anything," Link points out. Midna shrugs at him. "Let's go see what's wrong over here," he murmurs, leading the group. The sounds of battle greet our ears quickly. We start jogging ahead, though we don't get far before being attacked by Bokoblins and Bulblins.

"Get them, Botan!" I cheer, letting Botan run at them. He still has the armor on, so their attacks make no effect on him. We kill them while they're down and continue on. "You think they're under attack?" I pant, ignoring all my current feelings towards Link.

"The Gerudos wouldn't let those things anywhere near the camp, so yes," he answers. We continue ahead, killing several more creatures. We finally reach the fortress, where one Gerudo girl calls out security. _Like you really want to catch us while we're trying to help,_ I think to myself. We're swiftly surrounded by Gerudos and dragged to a dungeon. I hate dungeons. These things are seriously starting to get on my nerves.

"Look! I'm Link!" Link shouts desperately, trying to show them his Triforce.

"The real Link doesn't talk," one of the Gerudos snarls. I sit down, sighing.

"Well that was successful," I say sarcastically. Link shrugs and starts to feel around the walls. My goddess he's gone nuts already. "What are you doing?" I ask him. He ignores me, still feeling around.

"Nabooru must have sealed it off from the last time I escaped…" he murmurs. "There used to be an escape hatch built by the carpenter brothers, but it's not here anymore…" Link sits down with the rest of us. "Well, Nabooru's a sage, so she'll know us. She'll let us go and attack the monsters," he remarks.

"I'm hungry," Midna whines. They took away our bags and weapons, so we can't fix the problem. She floats over to the bars of the cell and stares at one of the Gerudos. She stares back. "I'm hungry, girl. Will you get me some food?" she asks. The Gerudo raises her eyebrow.

"Not unless you're willing to give up your men," she grins evilly.

"Done," Midna says.

"No, Midna," I say sternly. "We are not giving up the Links," I tell her sternly. The Gerudo girl sighs loudly. I think she was actually serious about it, too. "When is Nabooru coming?" I ask the girl. She frowns and pretends not to hear me. Link stands up, walking over to her.

"Do you know when Nabooru is coming?" he asks her. She turns around quickly, flashing him a flirty smile.

"She'll be here soon, hero," she smiles. For a girl who never sees guys, she's pretty impressive when it comes to flirting. Link smiles at her. I scowl. He's engaged to _me._

"Thank you," he beams, walking back to us. "She'll be here soon," he tells us happily.

"We heard," I snap. He doesn't meet my eyes, and he hides his emotions well, so I can't tell what he's thinking. He sits back down, and we sit in silence.

Chapter 22

The sound of someone walking quickly echoes down the hall. We all stand up, greeting Nabooru.

"Kid! You're back!" Nabooru grins. The girl who was guarding the cell unlocks it and lets us out. "It's been a while," she grins, hugging Link. I wonder if she knows that he talks now. "And you must be Dark Link and Midna… I'm sorry, who are you?" she asks Ookami and me.

"I'm Miriam, and this is Ookami," I tell her.

"It's very nice to meet you both. Come, we have dinner prepared," she smiles, leading us down the hallway. I notice that every single one of the Gerudos that we pass look at Link. He smiles back at them. I let out an unhappy sigh. I know Link heard it, but I'm not sure that he cared enough to acknowledge it. Midna looks extremely happy about the fact that we'll be eating soon. We walk into the dining hall, which is rather large, really. A girl shows us where to sit (Link smiles at her). "I hope you'll enjoy the food here," Nabooru says. They put something in front of us. I poke it with a spoon. I think it's soup. It looks like cucco soup, but I can't be sure.

"What is this?" Midna asks, staring at it. Nabooru laughs.

"It's cucco and nopal soup," she smiles. I taste it. It's not too bad, actually. "Just try it, kid," she says to Midna. I don't think Midna likes being called kid, but she's too hungry to notice. We eat it quickly. It's not too horrible. "Nadja will show you to your rooms," Nabooru smiles. Another Gerudo gets up, smiling away at Link.

"Come on, hero," Nadja smirks.

"You realize there's more than one, right?" I say flatly. She shoots me a dirty look from behind Link's shoulder. She links arms with him and skips down the hall. (She skips. He kind of gets dragged.) She shows us a wing of the fortress.

"You can have the rest of the fortress to yourself. No one comes over here. There's a kitchen over there, a sitting room here, and there's a hall with several bedrooms," Nadja tells us.

"Thank you," Link says. Nadja smiles at him and twirls her hair.

"That's enough for now, Nadja," I tell her, practically shoving her out the door.

"If you need anything, I'll be in the east wing!" she yells over her shoulder at Link. I shut the door on her, putting my hands on my hips and glaring at Link. I'm not hiding my feelings towards him anymore.

"So… I think I'll go help out with the fighting," Lark says. Ookami and Midna follow him out. I ignore their terrible excuse and start unpacking.

"What was that about?" Link asks. I ignore him, working on unpacking. I busy myself as much as possible to keep myself from looking at him. "Miriam, come on. You never glare at me like that," he says, following me around.

"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about," I tell him, putting my jars on the kitchen counter. I start cleaning them out in the sink. He stands over me. "Personal space," I hiss, freezing up.

"What? Does this bother you?" he asks, standing really close. I back up.

"Yes. It really does," I growl at him, ducking under his arm to get away from him. I walk into one of the bedrooms and put my bags in it. Link follows me in.

"It's never bothered you before," he says, leaning against the doorway.

"Go away," I scowl, stuffing my cloak into an empty drawer. I try to walk out of my room, but he stands in my way. "Move," I tell him.

"How about you tell me what's bugging you?" he recommends, leaning closer. I back away, avoiding him.

"Or I could, you know, just let you figure it out on your own," I murmur, moving my bag from one end of the room to the other. I have nothing to do. I pick up my swords and attempt to move past Link again. "_Move!" _I tell him angrily. He frowns.

"Miriam, really. What's bugging you?"

"Men!" I say, exasperated. "You're all the same."

"What do you mean by that?" he asks. I stand across from him, folding my arms.

"You're all so dense," I tell him.

"Miriam, what did I do?" he asks. Well, he seems kind of genuine. Those stupid blue eyes. I stomp my foot with impatience. He cleverly hides his smirk. "Honest. If you tell me, I can apologize," Link says. I don't really know where to start. 'Hey, Link. Would you stop making me, you know, love you? And then, on top of that, I really wouldn't mind getting married, but you're wanting to find a way out of it so I guess we can?' What am I supposed to say? "Miriam, come _on,"_ he begs.

"Fine," I say, taking a deep breath. "You keep flirting with the Gerudo girls, you don't seem the least bit concerned that Naberius terrifies the crap out of me, and you're driving me insane!" I blurt out. I wish I hadn't. Now Link is giving me his oh-my-goddess-I'm-so-sorry look. Then, he chuckles.

"I didn't realize that you got so jealous so easily," he remarks.

"I didn't say I was jealous," I say, stomping my foot again.

"That proves that you were," he grins. "I'll stop 'flirting' with the Gerudo girls, Miriam. Just don't try to push me out again, okay?" Link says, stepping closer. I start to step back again, but he touches my arm, holding me in place. "No more memory potion for you. No matter how scared you are of Naberius, we'll all be here to protect you from him," he whispers. My eyes well up with tears at the thought of Naberius.

"What if you can't protect me?" I ask him, my voice shaking. Link's eyes flash with worry for a moment.

"We'll be there to stop the pain, Miriam. I swear we'll do everything we can to kill him," Link promises. I know he can't, though. I know that Naberius will kill me with pain. He always has, and he always will.

"I'm just… I couldn't take it if he hurt one of you. He'll manipulate my mind and yours. He'll search deep down into our minds and hearts and learn what will hurt us the most. Naberius is good at things like that. That's his specialty. That's why Demise likes him so much-his magic is so powerful," I sob. Link hugs me, saying nothing. I hold onto him tightly, wishing that all my problems would just go away. He pulls me away and looks at me.

"Stop crying," he murmurs, wiping my cheeks. "It makes me sad. Now, if you'd like, we can go out there and kick some Bulblin butt if you'd like," he grins.

"You know me so well," I laugh, grabbing my swords and putting them on my back. "And it'll give us the extra practice."

»•§•«

I'm riding through a mound of dead Bulblins on Botan. It was rather fun when you didn't have to walk over stinky Bulblin corpses. Those things start smelling really quickly. I wrap a white cloth around my nose and mouth to keep the smell out.

"You look like a natural Sheikah!" Lark shouts, delivering a fatal blow to another Bulblin. I laugh. I really like this cloth thing. It's warm, and it keeps out the dust and smells.

"That's because I am one!" I yell back, adding another Bokoblin to the pile. I crack my neck, walking Botan back over to the others. Ookami is on top of the fortress, practicing with her bow and arrow on the Bulblins. "It's getting too dark out to see much. We'd better go back in and rest up if we're going to do this tomorrow," I tell them. Lark, Midna, and Link all seem to agree. I let out a short whistle to Ookami, letting her know we're done for the night. Her head pops over the fortress wall.

"Meet you back in the south wing!" she yells down. We nod to her.

"I'm going to go put Botan in the stables," I tell them.

"I'll come with you," Link offers. I shake my head.

"No, you're going back to the south wing. I'll be fine," I assure him. Botan snorts at me. I pat his head, leading him onward. The darkness is rather hard to see in, so I concentrate hard, focusing on my half-demon form. I open my eyes, able to see in the dark now. Botan walks alongside me. The Gerudos guarding the stables glare at me and point their spears at me. "It's me, Miriam. This is my half-demon form. No need to worry," I tell them. They watch me warily, but let me through. The sound of voices sends me searching for cover. I stand in Botan's stall, petting him. _Their blood… Gerudo blood is so sour, but so delicious…_ I roll my eyes at my demon form.

"…You're sure you saw a male?" one of the Gerudos ask quietly.

"Positive! And if I'm not mistaken, it was Link. The Kokiri kid who came here years ago," the other replies. "But he came with companions," she pouts. _Yeah, you've got that right. Stay away from him._

"I'm sure it won't be too hard to get him away from his friends. Think about it, the guy's always been sort of easy to push around. Unless, of course, you're Ganondorf," she snickers. _Their blood…_ I push the thought out of my head and walk out of Botan's stall. I concentrate on my human form and when I open my eyes. It's dark outside, except for the lanterns hanging outside the stables.

"Good-bye," I smile to the gossiping Gerudos. They glance at me curiously.

"Who are you?" the first one asks.

"I'm Miriam. I'm traveling with Link," I tell them. They blush, but say nothing. I walk back to the rooms, making a mental note not to let Link out of my sight. I walk back to the south wing, getting stopped several times to argue with a few of the Gerudos. They're very protective of their fortress. I finally make it to the south wing. Link immediately stands up and walks over. He looks almost… relieved.

"You're finally back," he says happily. I nod absentmindedly. "Uh… Miriam, meet Malon," he chuckles. A cute red haired girl sits on the brown couch. I wave to her. "Malon, this is Miriam," Link laughs nervously. I raise my eyebrows at him.

"So this is the famous Miriam! I've heard so much about you," Malon smiles, her pearly white teeth practically blinding me. I smile back.

"That's me. You must be the girl from Lon Lon Ranch, right?" I say, my voice fake.

"Yes. I raised Epona," she beams. There is so much tension in the room that you could cut it with a knife. "So what are you guys doing here?" Malon asks.

"Kaepora Gaebora called us here. We're here to help with the fighting," I tell her. "How about you?"

"I'm here to tend to the horses. The Gerudos love their horses very much, but they keep getting hurt on the battlefield. I tend to their wounds." Well, Malon will get along well with Ookami. That's for sure. "It's nice running into Link after all this time," she remarks. Link is busy pacing the room nervously.

"Well, have you met the others?" I ask her. Lark is hiding in the shadows, Ookami is standing in the kitchen, watching us, and Midna is calmly floating around. I introduce them all to her. "I'm sure you and Ookami will get along well. She loves horses, too," I say, letting out a yawn. "Goddess! I'd better get to sleep. Good night," I tell them all good night and walk into the room. It's kind of lonely having a room to myself. The last time I had my own room was in the Forest Temple when Ganondorf kidnapped me. That feels like years ago compared to what we've been doing. I sit down on the bed, but I know I won't be able to sleep. I'm exhausted, but my head whirls with thoughts. I can't seem to get rid of them. A soft knock on the door makes me jump.

"It's just me," Link's voice whispers. I open the door for him. "I figured you'd be awake," he remarks. I nod, walking over to the bed and sitting down again. He sits next to me.

"Too many thoughts," I sigh. "It's hard to recover all the memories at once. I remember them all, but some are harder to handle," I admit.

"Like Eira's death," he says, his voice low. I nod. My mother's death is crystal clear to me. Her screams, my screams, Ghirahim's laughter… I know he wasn't killing her because he wanted to. I know it was just because he was ordered to, but it still makes me mad. "You've got to get some sleep, Miriam. If you're tired in the morning, you won't be able to help with the fight," Link points out.

"Yeah… I guess you're right. Are the others asleep?" I ask him. He nods.

"Ookami was exhausted, Midna likes to sleep, and Dark Link likes his privacy. I sent Malon back as soon as I could," he laughs quietly.

"That was rather… Surprising to see her here," I admit.

"Yeah. I didn't expect it. That's for sure. I never thought she and the Gerudos would ever team up. Although, she's a lot like them," he admits. "She's just less… _blunt_ than them."

"That's for sure. Now, get out," I say, shoving him out of my room.

"Good night, Miriam," he chuckles.

"Good night, Link," I sigh. I can finally go to sleep now. The thoughts don't race as quickly, and my head doesn't hurt as much. Who would have known that Gerudos made such soft beds?

Chapter 23

"I think that's all of them," Ookami remarks, looking around. I think she's right. There are no (living) Bulblins or Bokoblins in sight. Nabooru walks over, her spear covered in blood.

"You guys can go home now. We can handle any leftover ones," she tells us.

"We can always stay for another day to make sure that they're all gone," I tell her. Nabooru sighs, thinking over it. _I just don't want to get caught by Naberius…_I think to myself.

"Alright. You can stay for one more day to ensure that we won't need you. Go roam around the fortress. Except the boys can't go to the east wing," she says, her eyebrows rising. "That's where the girls are staying."

"No worries. Lark's already got a girl," I tease, glancing over at Ookami and Lark. They both turn as red as Din's fire and refuse to look at each other.

"What about me?" Link whines. I put my hands on my hips. "I mean, we are engaged," he reminds me.

"Excuse me?" Nabooru coughs. "Did you just say you were _engaged?"_ she exclaims. Link and I look at each other. He scratches his head.

"It's a long, complicated story," he admits. "We won't go to the east wing, I promise," he says. Nabooru lets us go walk around the fortress for a while. Link finds everything interesting. I find it all very boring and repetitive. Dirt, clay, and more dirt and clay. I know there's a lot of work that went into this, but I can't help but think it's all very boring. "The architecture is beautiful," Link murmurs for the fifteenth time.

"Can I just go back so I can sleep now?" I beg him. Link looks at me and laughs. "I hope that's a yes…?" I smile weakly.

"Yes, let's go," he laughs. "Or would you rather sit outside for a while?" he offers.

"I don't really care. I just want out of this place," I tell him. We make our way to the south wing and sit down in the sitting room. "Well this is better," I admit, lying on the couch. The others fill up the other chairs, leaving Link standing. He walks over to me.

"Mooove" he says. I shake my head.

"Nope," I tell him. He pouts, then tries to sit on me. I move quickly. "Meanie," I sneer, sticking out my tongue. He sticks his tongue out, copying me. "So what are we going to do all day?" I ask them.

"We could… play hide and seek," Ookami suggests. None of us have any better ideas, so we split up. Ookami is it first, so the rest of us run and hide. I hide behind some drapes just outside the door. Ookami pops her head out but doesn't find me. She quickly finds Lark and Midna, then Link. Finally, she finds me. Lark searches next. I hide in a dusty, old chest in the hallway. Someone cracks the lid open.

"Any room in there for me?" Link whispers. I giggle.

"I think so," I murmur. He steps in next to me. We sit in the chest, making no noise except our breathing. Someone passes by us. Link sits up straighter, opening the lid just slightly. "Anyone there?" I ask him.

"No, not yet," he whispers back. I can't hold in a giggle.

"Who would have thought that the Hero of Time would be playing hide and seek?" I tease him. Link puts the lid back down, leaving it completely dark. He chuckles.

"I guess you're right. I'm still not used to that title," he whispers. I look at him. At least I think I'm looking at him. It's pitch black in here.

"Well, I'm still not used to the fact that I'm part Sheikah, part demon, and the center of the Triforce," I point out. The sound of footsteps silences us. It passes quickly. It wasn't Lark, but it sounded like Ookami. I realize that I was holding my breath and let it out. The smell of grass and nature welcomes me. "You smell good," I say without thinking. I blush immediately, though I don't think Link can see me.

"You too," he says after a pause. _Well that was awkward. _More silence. Then, Link lifts the lid of the chest a crack. He quickly shuts it, but someone has already spotted us. Midna lifts the lid of the chest and grins at us.

"Well, well, well, our two lovebirds hiding in the same place, huh?" Midna teases. "Come on, I'm it," she laughs. We play a few more rounds of hide and seek. None of them are as awkward as Link and me hiding in the chest, but they're all pretty awkward. Finally, it's dinner time. I raid the cabinets and make some sort of soup. It's more edible than the cucco and nopal soup. Screams from outside the door make us jump. A Gerudo bursts in.

"There's water falling from the SKIES!" she screams, running around like a maniac. I assume they've never seen rain…

"It's just rain," I laugh, glancing outside. "It won't hurt anything. It usually helps things, actually," I tell her. She stares at me blankly. "Go tell your other friends," I say. She dashes out the door. I turn to the others. "No rain, huh?"

"Gerudo Valley hasn't seen rain in over thirty years. To some of the younger girls, it seems kind of freaky," Link explains. "I mean, there's water coming from the clouds. Don't even try to explain what snow is," he says, as if he's had past experience in this matter. Another girl walks in the door. I don't even look up.

"It's just rain. You're fine," I murmur, polishing my sword. A giggle comes from her.

"I know what it is, silly," a sickly sweet voice says. I look up. Oh great. It's _Malon._ I sigh inwardly, but I put on a fake smile for her.

"Oh, Malon! I'm sorry. The Gerudos are freaking out over the rain. I thought you were one of them," I admit. She smiles.

"That's alright. Could I, uh, talk to you for a moment, Link?" she asks. I can't help but notice that Link's squirming around. He's looking for a way out of this. "I'm not going to seduce you, my goddess. Just let me talk to you," she shakes her head, laughing.

"Well? Go on!" I tell Link. He follows Malon into the hall. I continue polishing my swords. Ookami slides in next to me.

"Do you really trust her? I mean, they grew up together," Ookami points out. I shrug.

"I didn't say I trusted her. I trust him. Not her," I remind Ookami. "He'll be fine," I say. "If not, she saw me polishing my swords… She'll be the first one to dirty them if she's lucky," I grin evilly, lifting one of them. It shines brightly. Ookami backs up slightly.

"Wanna watch the Gerudos freak out?" Midna offers. I stand up, grinning.

"Of course I do!" I cheer, following her to the window. Several of the Gerudos are dancing around in the rain. They're either freaked out by it, scared, or dancing around in it. We laugh at them.

"You two are terrible," Ookami tells us, shaking her head. We shrug, watching them freak out over the rain. They're trying to shoo it away. We snicker at them. Link comes back down from the hall, Malon following him. He seems oddly antsy.

"Oh, you two done talking?" I ask. Link nods nervously.

"Go ahead and tell them, Link," Malon smiles. Link frowns. He clearly doesn't want to tell me. He looks at the ground awkwardly.

"It's alright, Link," I assure him. He takes a deep breath.

"Malon wants to travel with us," he blurts out.

"_What?"_ I exclaim. She smiles at me. I frown at her. The pretty little fake mask is gone from my face. "And why, exactly, do you want to come with us?" I snarl. She sighs and continues to make pretty faces at me.

"I want to make sure you all are safe. Plus, I think it'd be fun to adventure with you. My father, Talon, disappeared. I was hoping that… Maybe we'd find him," she looks sadly at me. I scowl at her.

"No. We can look for your father for you, but you are _not_ coming with us," I tell her. Her innocent face turns to stone. Then, she turns slightly red.

"I'm coming with you!" she fights. "I'm good with a bow and arrow. I could be helpful. Right, Link?" she asks, sticking her elbow into his gut. It takes him a moment to recover. He looks at me, then Malon, then back at me. I frown.

"Don't you bring Link into this," I snap. Link catches my eye and sends me a slight smile. I shake my head at him. "Malon, you won't be able to help us. You'll just slow us down," I tell her.

"I have the fastest horse from my ranch."

"That's not what I mean. Ghirahim could kidnap you. Then we'd have to go rescue you from him, and you'd be scarred for life. We can't risk that, Malon. Stay out of the way," I snap, wiping my sword with the cloth to make it clear. She seems rather wary of the sword, but goes on.

"Why? Are you jealous of me? Link likes me more," she smirks. My eyebrows rise involuntarily.

"That's not true-" Link starts

"Shut up, Link!" we both say. I turn back to Malon.

"Leave Link out of this. And no, I'm not jealous of you. You're a girl from a _ranch._ I'm the center of the Triforce," I point out. I hate using that card on people, but this time, it's _got_ to be mentioned. "You can't come with us, Malon. You're being selfish. You just want to play hero for a while and flirt with Link. There are real lives at stake here, you idiot," I throw back at her. She's glaring at me. Her giant blue eyes are just filled with hatred. She's clearly not used to someone saying no to her.

"I don't know what your problem is. I'll just follow you around while you're traveling anyway. You can have me on your team, or you can just have me following you around. I know the princess, you know," she says coolly.

"Impossible," I say immediately. "Even if you do know the princess, I think Link would be further up the list of favors than you. Now _leave,_ Malon," I snap. She glares at me.

"No. I'm coming with you," she snarls. I sigh.

"Excuse me while I go chop some heads off," I growl, walking out of the room. A few headless Bulblins may make me feel better. I drag Botan out of the stables (he was busy eating), and we ride out into the middle of nowhere and beat some Bulblins up. I was right. It _does_ make me feel better. I ride Botan back and put him in the stables. I then proceed to walk back to the south wing.

"That was fast," Ookami comments.

"It doesn't take long to decapitate ten heads," I say grimly. _Now_ Malon looks a little frightened. I casually sit on the couch and continue to polish the Bulblin blood off of my swords. "Now, what were we saying?" I ask her.

"I'm still coming with you. I know you didn't really kill those Bulblins. You don't scare me," she says confidently. We all turn and look at the ginger.

"I wouldn't count on it…" Midna warns.

"Do you want me to show you the corpses?" I ask, challenging her. Link and Lark have already backed themselves far, far away from us. "Or my Bullbo? Listen, Malon. Your stubbornness is the exact stuff that gets us in trouble when we're battling. You'll try to be the hero out there, but you won't be able to withstand it. So _back off._" I growl. Malon sighs. Her eyes turn red and shiny. She's pulling the crying card. _She's pulling. The crying card. _Now I want something to decapitate again. The cute little red head lets out a sniffle. "Don't pull that on me," I frown.

"I just… I just want to rescue my daddy…" she mumbles. I scoff at her.

"As sweet as that is, you still don't have what it takes. We'll rescue your dad for you, okay? Right now, however, we have to deal with mine. Mine just happens to be an evil demon out to kill us all and cause as much pain as he possibly can," I tell her. She drags Link out of his corner and cries on his shoulder. He stands there awkwardly patting her back. I glare at her.

"I need to come with you."

"You need to get a life."

"Let her come with us," Lark says. My eyes widen at him. He stares back at me with those bright red eyes. They're like lasers.

"No, Lark. My goddess! You're supposed to be on my side!" I exclaim.

"I am. But this is the only way to get her to shut up," he points out. I sigh. Malon is practically sobbing all over Link's tunic. _Gross._ She lets out a wail.

"OKAY! If we bring you along will you just _shut up!?_" I cry out. She lets out one last sniffle and nods her head. "You're not fooling anyone with that act, you know," I remind her. She smiles at me. "And no more fake smiles. You're killing me here," I growl. Malon wipes the tears off her face, pats Link's arm, and starts walking out the door.

"I'll see you all in the morning," she grins, closing the door behind her.

"Not if I kill you first…" I mutter under my breath.

"Miriam!" Ookami growls.

"What!?" I exclaim, pretending to be innocent.

"Let's just scout around the fortress and get some sleep, okay?" Link says. I frown, but agree with him. I can't wait to get to sleep after this.

Chapter 24

The morning comes, bright and sunny as usual in the desert. All traces of rain have gone away, other than the Gerudos that are still trying to cope with it. Some of them claim they've seen it before, but their wild tales are a little eccentric. For the record, _Bulblins don't fall from the sky._ Unless, of course, you're kicking them off the top story of the fortress, which has been done. I almost forgot that it's winter. As soon as we hit Hyrule Field, the freezing cold hits us and sends me digging for my new cloak. Malon was right. Her horse is very fast. She named it Espio (Ookami claims she knows the name from somewhere). She looks a little mad that I'm riding on Epona with Link. This makes me very happy.

"Where are we going?" Malon asks us. She's not even wearing a cloak.

"Probably back to Ordon," Link replies. "What do you think?" he inquires, looking back at me. I notice that he's been including me on any conversation that him and Malon have. I raise my eyebrow.

"Sounds okay with me. Unless you want to go to Castle Town or Kakariko," I tell him. He nods.

"Kakariko sounds nice. It's quiet and reserved, and no one really asks questions. How about we go there?" he asks the others. Midna pops up from being his shadow and agrees. Ookami and Lark really couldn't care less. We begin to head back across the Bridge of Eldin. I get chills from it. Link looks back at me. "You okay?" he asks. I nod.

"The last time I was here, I nearly fell off of it," I point out. He nods his head and continues riding. I hold on tightly and take a nap.

»•§•«

I wake up and immediately regret opening my eyes. The sun shines brightly in them. I hold tightly to whoever's carrying me. I take a glance and see green. He smells like grass, wood, and nature, as usual. He walks into the shade and I open my eyes. Link looks down at me, smiles, and puts me down.

"No! I don't want to walk," I whine. He picks me back up again. I didn't expect him to actually, willingly pick me up. "Are we in Kakariko?"

"Yup," he murmurs.

"Where are you taking me?" I ask, yawning.

"To the springs," he responds. We walk into a cavern, where he walks up a steep walkway.

"Th-the springs?" I ask. _There's water at the springs. And I could drown there…_

"Yes, ma'am. Hold on tight," he says, jumping. I shut my eyes tightly. The water swirls all around. I hold tightly to Link. I'm probably choking him, but right now, I can only think of _my_ survival. I'll get him for this. He swims to the surface, where we both take a deep breath.

"You jerk!" I yell as soon as I'm able to speak. I frown at him. Link grins at me.

"Didn't see that coming, did you?" he laughs.

"It's freezing in here!" I whine.

"It's fine," he says. I hold tightly to his neck, half for warmth and half for survival.

"Get me out of h-here!" I stutter.

"Alright, fine," Link laughs, dragging me out of the water. "But we're teaching you how to swim next time," he says. He's still carrying me. I don't complain. The look on Malon's face is worth it.

"How long are we going to keep her?" I whisper to him, nodding at Malon. He laughs gently.

"You're the one who decided to bring her along," he remarks. Ookami and Lark come running up to us. Midna appears out of nowhere.

"Carrying the bride across the threshold, huh?" Ookami teases. I frown at her and quickly squirm out of Link's arms. He stifles a laugh.

"Says the girl who's in love with a shadow," I point out. She sticks her tongue out at me. "What are we going to do here-" I start to say. I spot them first. Those beautiful, terrible, feathery creatures that cause pain and joy all at the same time. They're practically _begging_ to get hit with a sword. They're just walking all around the town, gawking at people. "Cuccos!" I let out, running towards them. I unsheathe my sword.

"Miriam!" Ookami yells back. I expect her to scold me, but she only says "Wait up!" If Demise walked into town, I'd probably kill him with a cucco. I push the thoughts of Link, Ghirahim, and Naberius out of my head to chase cuccos. Ookami and I wind up bursting into a bomb shop, unable to contain our laughter. "I… Love… Cuccos…" she pants. It's rather dark in the bomb shop. I pull out my lantern. The bomb shop owner slams his fist on the counter. Water comes from above me, blowing out my lamp.

"Seriously?" I grumble, putting it back into my bag. "Is it safe out there?" I ask Ookami. She opens the door a crack and nods. We walk back out. Link and Lark come up to us.

"Are you two quite done?" Lark asks, folding his arms.

"I think so," I shrug. "Where's the ginger?" I inquire, looking around for Malon. Link sighs.

"She's back at the inn. Malon's never been a huge fan of chasing cuccos. She'll probably tend to the horses later," Link murmurs. I nod, thinking over it.

"Let's go bug some people!" I suggest. Link sighs. "Do you mind if I take Epona out?" I ask him.

"Only if I can come with you," he laughs.

"What? Are you afraid I'll treat her badly?" I ask him, stepping closer.

"No. I just want to come with you. That's all," he remarks. I shrug and start walking towards Epona.

"Well, let's go!" I shout, prancing away. I like this new cloak. It flows behind me in the wind. I make my way to Epona. Link hops on, pulling me up with him. "Let's go over here," I direct him through a random path.

"Do you know where we're going?" he asks. I shake my head.

"Nope. Let's just ride!" I say excitedly.

"We do that almost every day…" Link points out. I steal his hat and ruffle his hair in revenge. "Hey!" he shouts, trying to steal it back.

"Just hold onto the reins, hero boy," I tease, putting his hat on my head. It's kind of warm, but it's really comfy. No wonder why he likes it so much. I tell him random directions, but we're quickly lost. "And this is why you should never take directions from me," I tell him. He jumps off Epona. I hold onto her as he leads her through the place. There's a lot of rock, and it's suddenly warm again.

"Ah, here it is," Link says, leading Epona into a dark tunnel. I stare at Link.

"You know where we are?" I ask him, surprised.

"Yeah, I think. It's been a while, but we're at Hidden Village." He leads us down the tunnel, and suddenly we're in the light again. It's certainly abandoned, that's for sure. A few cats come out and greet us. I dismount Epona and pet the cats.

"I like it here!" I giggle, getting attacked by a few kittens.

"I'm sure they love you because you are one," he points out. He's right. My demon form _is _a cat, after all. "Come on, let's walk around for a little bit," Link offers, holding his hand out for me. I take it, and I quickly learn to get dragged around. We wind up on the deck of a place. "The sun's setting," Link points out.

"We should probably start heading back," I tell him. He laughs nervously and scratches his head (I gave him his hat back). "What?" I ask him.

"I don't really remember the way back…" he admits. I sigh, drooping over the railing. "Well, you wanted to go exploring. It's a good thing I came along," Link points out. I nod.

"I guess so. Well, this is frustrating," I grumble. I walk back inside the dirty old place and sit on a chair. Surprisingly, it's not too broken. Link picks me up, sits in the chair, and places me back on his lap again. "Okay then," I laugh.

"Well, let's talk," he says. _Uh-oh…_

"What about?" I ask him nervously.

"The whole engagement thing," he says. As soon as the words are out of his mouth, I'm standing up and pacing nervously. "Come on, Miriam. We've got to talk about it sometime. Now may be the only time we have alone."

"The cats are watching," I tell him. He gets up, frowning at me.

"Really, Miriam," Link says. I sigh. "Naberius has cursed us with this, even if he dies, we stay engaged. If we don't get married by the time we're twenty, it'll kill us both," he reminds me. _Like I really needed to be reminded._ "So we either have to get married, or we get Naberius to get us out of it," he says.

"Like that'll ever happen," I scoff.

"It would happen if I died…"

"No," I immediately deny him. "If you die, I die, and then it'll be all for nothing. We could try to talk him out of it," I sigh.

"Or…" Link blushes bright red.

"We could… Just to see if it'll work out," I say, equally as red. Well this is possibly the most awkward conversation between the two of us yet. I stomp the ground with my foot, making the ancient floorboards creak. "Just for a little while. Especially if it'll keep Malon away from you," I tease. Link laughs.

"You want to try to find our way back to Kakariko?" he asks. I sigh.

"I guess. It's getting a little dark out, though," I point out. He nods, considering it.

"There's a woman that used to live here. She may still be here…" he murmurs, taking my hand and dragging me back down the stairs again. I get dragged over to a house, where Link politely knocks on the door with his hand that isn't holding mine. The door creaks open.

"Welcome, Link!" an old woman says. Several more cats greet us as she opens the door wider, letting us in. "Sit, sit. Who is this?" she asks, motioning to me.

"I'm Miriam, his friend. Er- fiancé," I say. That sounds _so weird._

"Well, it's nice to meet any friend of Link's. Do you need to spend the night? It's getting awfully dark out there," the woman mentions.

"Yes, actually. We were hoping you would have enough room. We got lost, and we can't find our way back," Link says, finally letting go of my hand.

"Oh, plenty! Just as long as you don't mind cat hair…" the woman murmurs. I look around the place. It's a little cramped.

"You know… If you transformed into your wolf form, and I transformed into my demon form, there'd be plenty of room in here," I tell Link. He nods.

"Don't worry about the space, Impaz," he says. She nods, sitting back down in the chair to knit something. Link yawns. "Good night," he says, transforming into a giant dark wolf. His yawn catches onto me. I quickly transform into my demon form, shoving the terrible thoughts of blood and ripping things apart out of my head. I look at the other cats, realizing that I'm a bit bigger than them. I shrug and curl up next to Link. I'm asleep before I know it.

Chapter 25

_Blood! It must be spilt! _I wake up to the screams of my demonic form. I quickly change back into a human before the shouts drive me insane. Link clearly already gotten up, because he sits in a chair across from Impaz. He gets up when I transform back.

"You ready to go?" he asks. I nod, stretching. "Come on," he says, grabbing my hand and dragging me again. "Thank you for letting us stay here, ma'am," he says politely.

"Any time, Link," she says back. Link drags me out the door and helps me onto Epona.

"I was thinking about it this morning," Link says, galloping out of Hidden Village. I hold on tightly to keep from falling off. "And I think I remember the way back. There should be a shortcut over here…" he murmurs. Sure enough, he leads us through to Kakariko. Ookami greets us.

"We thought you guys were dead for sure!" she exclaims. Link helps me off of Epona.

"Nope. We got lost and stayed in Hidden Village," I murmur. Ookami hands us both a green apple. "I slept in my demon form. I don't advise doing that, though," I laugh, biting into the apple. It's sour, like most green apples are, but it tastes delicious.

"Lost in Hidden Village, huh? That sounds like fun. I bet I know what you two were doing there," Ookami grins. I punch her in the arm again. "In the meanwhile, Lark has a few minor scratches. He couldn't get away from the cuccos fast enough. Midna has been sleeping lately but wants to tell us something, and Malon's just plain grumpy," she says, filling us in. "Come on, let's go talk to Midna," she says. We walk into the inn and up to our room. Midna sits on the edge of the bed with Lark and Malon across from her. She swings her short, impish feet.

"Okay, we're all here," Lark says. Midna sighs and motions for us all to sit down. I take a spot on the floor next to Link. We watch her closely.

"Well, I've helped you defeat Ganondorf, and everything in the Twilight Realm is restored to normal. They need me back there, though. I'm the Princess of the Twilight Realm. I need to go back there," she says. We all stare at her, not knowing what to say.

"Do you really need to…?" Link asks. Midna nods.

"I wasn't doing much help here, anyway. Malon will keep you all company. They need me as much as Hyrule needs Princess Zelda. We'll have to travel back in the morning, if that's alright," she tells us. This really dampens our moods. "Come on, sillies! Let's go have some fun!" she laughs, floating up in the air. "Come on, Link, go into wolf form!" she commands him. He obliges, and she starts riding around. "Come on!" she laughs.

"Midna! Wait up!" Ookami shouts after her. I grab my cloak and dash out the door after them. We chase each other around Kakariko. I hide near the springs, still trying to keep my feet dry. I see a flash of green, and I'm quickly tackled into the water. Apparently Link already transformed back into human form. I start to yell at him, but he clamps his hand over my mouth.

"Midna's coming," he whispers. I struggle to get away from him (which isn't smart, since he's the only thing that's keeping me from drowning). Link holds tightly to me. He lets his hand off of my mouth, allowing me to speak.

"Over here," I murmur, pointing to the part of the spring that's behind a rock. Link carries me over there. "Here she comes…" I whisper. Midna floats around the springs for a while, then floats away, not finding us.

"Is she gone?" Link asks, peeking from behind the rock. I nod. "Now is a good time to teach you how to swim," he says. I scowl at him. "What? I mean it!" he laughs. I shush him.

"I found you, Link!" Ookami shouts, trudging across the water of the springs.

"Hold your breath," Link says, giving me just enough time to suck in a breath before I get pulled under the water. I squirm desperately, trying to get to the surface again. Link's arms wrap around my waist, trying to calm me. I calm quickly and even get brave enough to open my eyes. I look back at Link, who grins. He pulls me back to the surface. I try to be as quiet as I can, but I can't help from gasping.

"Thanks for the warning," I whisper. Link simply beams at me, his blue eyes shining. "Is anyone there?" I ask him. He looks around.

"Not that I can see," he murmurs. I sigh, unable to get enough air. I hate not being able to breathe. "Come on, I'll teach you how to swim," he begs. I frown at him. "Miriam, come _on._ It's the best time to learn."

"We've tried this before, remember?" I remind him.

"Yeah, but I didn't talk back then," he points out. I sigh. "You won't drown, I promise. I won't let you. I didn't let you drown before, remember?" Link says. He's right. He _did_ fish me out of the river. But I still hurt my arm in the process and nearly died of hypothermia.

"Yes…" I mutter. Link tries to hide his amusement.

"Practice your arm movements… Like this," he says, showing off. I hold onto the rock, watching him. "Here, try it." Link holds me up while I try to swim. Within minutes, I'm able to swim the other end of the springs. I laugh happily.

"I did it!" I cheer. The others have wandered over to us. "I'm swimming, guys!" I giggle. Before I can think about it, I lean over and give Link a kiss on the cheek. He blushes bright red, but I'm too excited to care.

"Took you long enough!" Lark teases. I stick my tongue out at him.

"Well it's taking you long enough to propose to Ookami! Alright, it's cold in here. I'm getting out," I say, lifting myself from the edge. Link follows along. I wrap my cloak around me tighter. "It's freezing out here," I comment.

"It's really not that cold," Ookami shrugs.

"You weren't the one plunged into water," I point out. "I'm hungry," I mumble.

"Good, because I brought lunch," a voice says. We spin around, spotting Malon. She holds a basket in her arms. "I figured you would all be hungry." I still don't trust that red-head. It frightens me how much she likes Link.

"Thanks!" Link says, diving into the food. I roll my eyes at him and sit down.

"We can picnic!" Ookami cheers, sitting next to me. I do my best not to make any disgusted faces, but it's really quite hard not to. Malon seems to have made some sort of beef. "What is this, Malon?" Ookami asks, stuffing her face with the meat.

"It's the meat from the cows back at Lon Lon Ranch," Malon smiles.

"It's really good, Malon," Link compliments.

"Thank you," she smiles with a tilt of her head. She turns to me. "So Miriam, where did you grow up?" the red head asks. I stare at her. Okay, she's trying to be friendly. _Be friendly back._ This is going to be very difficult.

"Kokiri Forest," I tell her, biting into another green apple.

"Oh, so you knew Link?"

"N-not really, no. I grew up outside the actual village. I never knew Link. Saria helped raise me, though. And Mido used to annoy the heck out of me," I giggle. "How about you? Did you grow up just on Lon Lon Ranch?"

"Yes, actually. My father would take me to Castle Town occasionally, but other than that, I stayed at the ranch. But that's how I got to know Link, Epona, and all the horses," Malon smiles. _We could get along pretty well. As long as she doesn't try to cry again. I can't stand it when she does that, _I think to myself. "When did you meet Link, Ookami, Midna, and Dark Link?" she asks.

"Well, funny story, actually," I laugh. "Link and I knew each other a few years ago. I lost my memory, though, and lived in Kokiri for a while. Then Ganondorf took over and Link wound up coming to my house in the Kokiri Forest. I didn't remember him, of course, but he remembered me. Then we went and got Midna to help us out. Two extra people came out of the mirror from the Twilight Realm," I say, motioning to Lark and Ookami. "And we all journeyed together," I finish. Malon stares at me.

"So tell me about your adventures," she says cheerily.

"That would take all day," Link laughs, scratching his head.

"Miriam died," Ookami says cheerily. We all stare at her. "It was only temporary!"

"If two members of the Triforce touch, I feel pain," I explain to Malon. "I am the distance between the Triforce members. If three of them touch at one time, my heart will stop. Ganondorf touched Dark Link and Dark Zelda, causing me to temporarily die. Link wished for me back to life, since Farore owed him something," I tell her. I didn't mention that I actually know that he said he loved me during this time.

"I get it. So then you guys killed Ganondorf?" she asks. Ookami tries to explain the line of events we've gone through to get here. Malon tries to understand, though it's noticeable that she really doesn't get it.

"We've really been through a lot, huh?" I giggle, thinking about all the adventures.

"I guess you're right. Come on, let's get back to killing cuccos, swimming, and messing with the bomb shop guy," Link says, getting up. He reaches over and helps me up. I dust myself off. "Okay, Midna, what would you like to do?" he asks her. Midna floats around, thinking.

"Well, it's pretty fun to sleep," she remarks.

"Okay, but _other_ than sleeping," I laugh.

"I like fighting Bulblins," Midna says, letting out a wicked grin. Link grins back at her.

"Let's go then," he says, grabbing Midna's wrist with one hand and mine in the other. We both get dragged out across the Bridge of Eldin. I barely have enough time to take out my dual swords. The Bulblins run towards us, their maces out. Soon, however, we have to chase after them. They try to run away.

"Well this is fun," Midna grins from Wolf Link's back. Link grins, his fangs showing.

"Turn him back, will you?" I giggle, absentmindedly slashing another Bulblin in half. "I prefer him in his human form."

"Well, I prefer him in wolf form. So move, Link!" Midna says, slapping Link's side. He growls at her and continues attacking Bulblins.

"Come on, you guys! We don't want to leave Lark and Ookami alone!" I point out. Midna and Link come trotting over.

"They aren't alone. Malon's with them," Midna remarks. My eyebrow raises. "Oh… Yeah we'd better get back," she laughs. "Link, you can turn into a human now." Link transforms back into his human form and drags us to Kakariko.

"You don't have to drag us along, you know…" I murmur, rubbing my wrist.

"Sorry. It's easier that way," he explains. I frown and lead the way to the inn. Lark, Ookami, and Malon pop out of the room. Malon smiles at us.

"You guys are back," she smiles. "We'd better get ready for bed," she yawns.

"Let's all take a walk first," Lark says. Ookami nods, seeming to agree. I shrug and head down the stairs again.

"Where are we walking?" I ask them.

"Just around town. We haven't really wandered around yet, and we're leaving tomorrow," Ookami reminds us. Lark and Ookami take up the front. He has his arm around Ookami's waist, and she leans her head on his shoulder.

"They're so cute together," I whisper to Link. He nods, trying to do the same move as Lark. He gets elbowed in the gut. He lets out a cough, but he hides the pain cleverly. "You're ruining the moment," I tell him. Malon talks quietly with Midna in the back, and Lark and Ookami talk quietly in the front. Suddenly, Lark stops. Ookami looks at him, confused. We all stare at him. He stares intently at Ookami and sighs.

"Okay, here goes nothing," he says. He gets down on one knee. We all gasp, including Ookami. Her hands fly to her mouth, her eyes wide. Lark takes her hand in his and smiles-something very rare. "Oki, I love you. Marry me," he says. Ookami doesn't say anything.

"I-I, uh. You…" Ookami stutters. I sigh. _This is taking forever._

"Just say you'll marry the guy!" I tell her. This doesn't even faze her.

"Okay," she says. Lark gets up and kisses her. Malon, Link, Midna, and I all clap and cheer. Ookami looks at us, blushing. "Well it looks like you're not the only one engaged, Miriam," she smiles.

Chapter 26

I sigh, holding tightly onto Link. He won't let me take a nap, apparently. He wants me to keep him company, but I don't talk to him that much while we're riding anyway. Link talks to Midna the most, since she's leaving. The two seem really close, since she did help him save Hyrule twice.

"We're almost there," he says to me. I nod, closing my eyes. He makes Epona jump over a large rock, shaking me back up. "No falling asleep," Link says sternly. I stick my tongue out at him.

"You two seem to be getting along," Ookami says sarcastically.

"Aren't you supposed to be squealing over getting engaged rather than bugging me?" I sneer back. Ookami laughs, ignoring my comment. "Now I can't tease you about him…" I tell her, frowning.

"You could tease her about having kids," Malon suggests. I grin evilly at Ookami. Her face turns to pure horror.

"You wouldn't…" she murmurs. I smirk at her.

"Oh, but I would," I laugh back. She puts her head in her hands and shakes her head. I happily ignore her. "How much longer?" I whine to Link. He laughs at me.

"We're here," he says, sliding off of Epona. He helps me off, looking kind of sad. Midna floats over to us, trying to hide her sadness.

"Do you really have to go?" I ask quietly, frowning.

"Yes, Miriam. I have to go. I'm sorry," she says, putting her impish hand on mine. "I'd like to arrive in style, if you don't mind," she says. Link and Lark turn around while she transforms. I hand her her clothes, and she quickly changes into them. "Thank you all," she says, her voice slightly uneven.

"Midna…" Link whispers, stepping forward slightly. Midna has already stepped in front of the mirror.

"I…" she starts. Then, Midna shrugs. "See you later," she murmurs. Before any of us can say anything, she's sucked into the Twilight Realm. Link sighs happily.

"Well, at least she didn't break the mirror this time. That thing took _forever_ to repair," he remarks. "Let's go, everyone. There's no use crying over spilt Midna," he says. Everyone but Malon and I laugh. I guess it was a joke from earlier that I was left out of. He helps me back onto Epona.

"Where to next?" I ask them. It's getting a bit darker outside, and the rest of us are pretty tired.

"Probably back to your tree house, since we won't make it to Ordon until nightfall," Link comments. I nod.

"Let's go, then," I say. Link starts to lead Epona back through the Kokiri Forest. I hold tightly and close my eyes, beginning to go to sleep. A loud explosion sounds sends me back to waking up. "Apparently we aren't going to my tree house," I say rather bluntly. The dust clears, and Ghirahim stands before us. He grins.

"I'm here to take you to my master," Ghirahim says, his pearly white teeth flashing. The white hair hides his other eye, and he seems to be dressed the same way as when I first met him. I hop off of Epona. Link tries to stop me, not succeeding.

"Well, Demise has finally decided to meet us, huh? Where is he?" I ask Ghirahim. Ghirahim comes closer, only a foot away from me. I didn't realize just how tall he is.

"Just in that little field in Hyrule that's absolutely _charming,"_ he says. I actually know what he's talking about, too. It's the field that we came across with only one tree and soft grass.

"Alright, we'll be there as soon as we can. Make sure Demise is ready. I don't want him napping on the job," I tell him. Ghirahim gives a smirk, his face inches from mine. I can see Link's grip on his sword tighten from the corner of my eye.

"Whatever you want, your highness," he says, vanishing in front of me. I turn to Link, putting my hand on his arm. Link turns to me, seeming a little angry.

"What was that about?" he asks. I shake my head at him.

"You're all uptight about this stuff. There's nothing to worry about. If you show him our weaknesses he'll play to them. If you pretend you don't have weaknesses, then they can't break you," I tell him. _Just like fooling Naberius._

"Miriam, that makes no sense," Link frowns.

"It makes perfect sense," Lark comments. "They know we have weaknesses, but if you don't show them, they can't use it against you. I understand that. Where did you learn to do that, Miriam?" he asks. I look at the ground.

"You'd learn it too if you were the child of a demon," I mutter. I begin to feel a little dizzy, putting my hand on Link's arm to keep myself from falling over. The feeling worsens. My head pounds, and my legs fall from under me. The voices of the others around me sound so far away. I close my eyes tight, wanting the feeling of it all to go away.

_"You dared to challenge our king!?" Naberius yells. I try to scream, not succeeding. Fear invades my body, moving through my veins rapidly. I attempt to get away but don't succeed. "Don't run, brat!" my father yells. I sit still, too scared to move. He's the only thing that scares me. Water and heights scare me, sure. But Naberius sends terror through my body faster than lightening. _

_ "Please!" I let out. I feel Naberius' claws grab the back of my shirt and lift me up. I keep my eyes shut tight. _

_ "Look at me, little witch," he snarls. I do as he says. I stare straight into his bright red eyes. I can't keep my body from shaking. My heart pounds in my chest, threatening to come right out. Naberius lets out a wicked grin. "You're afraid of me," he smirks, dropping me to the ground. _

_ "Let me go…" I whisper, trying to keep the tears from flowing. _

_ "You challenged our king. Our very own demon king, you idiot," Naberius snaps. Demons are known for their loyalty to higher ranking demons. Especially Demise. "Now go give him whatever he wants. Don't fight with him. He's your king," Naberius instructs. My first instinct is to actually listen to him, but I realize the problem with this. I have to stand up to Naberius. _

_ "No."_

_ "What did you say?" Naberius growls, his sharp fangs showing. _

_ "I said no, you monster!" I scream. _

"Miriam! Wake up!" a familiar voice says. I open my eyes in a flash. My forehead and arms are soaked with sweat, my heart still pounding. I'm still shaking. "Are you okay?" Link asks. I look up at him. His blue eyes are so calming, especially compared to Naberius'.

"I'm alright. Let's go," I say, standing up. It's taking all of my strength to look strong. "If we defeat Demise, maybe Naberius will leave me alone."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Link asks. I nod. He helps me onto Epona, and we begin to ride towards the field. My strength slowly regains until I feel just fine. The butterflies flutter around in my stomach. _I'm about to kill the king of the demons._ "Remember all the strategies we worked on," Link coaches. I can hardly hear him. I'm busy thinking about Naberius and what he'll do to me when he finds me. "You got that all, Miriam?" he asks. I bite my lip, nodding.

"Yeah," I mutter. Link looks at me.

"You're _sure_ you'll be okay? We can't have any mistakes out there," Link reminds me. The taste of my own blood floods my mouth. I bit my lip too hard.

"The distraction will make me fight harder," I tell him. It's true. If I'm distracted, I'll fight harder. _Blood!_ My demon side cheers. I frown at it. Whenever I get anywhere near blood, my demon side gets really excited. At least I can let it take over in battle. We finally arrive at the field. At first, it seems that nothing is there. Then, clouds begin to gather overhead. I watch them block out the sun and turn dark blue. Link slides off Epona.

"You stay here," he says to Malon, Botan, and Ookami. "Lark, Miriam, and I will all fight up front with swords. Ookami and Malon, use your bow and arrows," Link says. Lightning strikes the field. Demise stands before us. He has flaming hair, a dark body, and a giant sword. _I guess that's Ghirahim._

"Look around you, humans. This will be your final resting place," Demise says. I step forward, the butterflies turning into anger.

"Shut up and die," I snarl, unsheathing my swords. I charge at Demise, throwing all my strategies out the window. _Typical. I work on strategies for weeks and don't even use them,_ I tell myself. Demise easily throws me to the side. I fall into the soft grass, my swords lying away from me. My side yells at me in pain, but I ignore it. Demise is walking slowly towards me. _I have speed over him,_ I remind myself. He's more of a power type. He's slow, but when he makes a hit, it will _hurt._ I have speed, which means I could easily outrun him, but my attacks won't be as powerful.

"Miriam, watch out!" Ookami yells. I grab a sword and quickly block Demise's hit. He's much stronger than me, though, and I'm forced to duck away. I quickly roll around until I'm behind him and thrust at his back. I hit him, but he whips around and knocks me to the side again. I land in the plush grass once more. He begins to battle with Link. It seems a much better match with Link than it was with me. Lightning strikes from the sky. We aren't going to make it very far if we keep going like this. We need to step up our game.

"Link, let the lightning hit the Master Sword!" I yell to him. I quickly run over to Ookami and Malon.

"What are you doing, Miriam?" Ookami yelps. I hush her.

"Give me your arrows."

"What?"

"Give me your arrows!" I shriek. She hands them over. I close my eyes, concentrating. Her arrows now all have blue orbs around them. "Shoot Demise with those." I do the same to Malon's. "Don't miss," I tell them, running back into battle. I shove Link to the side, keeping Demise's sword from falling on him. The demon king has clearly called in reinforcements. Darknuts surround Lark and Link, keeping them from attacking Demise. _Just you and me, Demise…_

"Miriam!" Link yells, trying to reach me. I struggle with Demise, our swords clashing.

"Just fight them! I'll handle Demise!" I scream back, falling onto my back. I roll out of the way just in time. We dodge and duck, never quite hitting each other. He comes at me, holding his sword high above his head, and I dodge it. I give a good swing at his feet, and he jumps up, making the ground shake when he lands on his feet again. He uses the lightning to try to distract me, not succeeding. We thrust and parry with skill and speed, matching each other. He has a heavy, giant sword. I have two, lightweight, fast swords. I let my mind take over. It's all instinct from here. I reach into my boot and pull out a dagger, throwing it straight at Demise's face. He ducks, but by now, I have time to deliver a good blow to the stomach. He lets out a yowl of pain but quickly recovers.

"You are Naberius' daughter, correct?" Demise asks, just missing my arm. I give a strong kick to his chest, sending him reeling back.

"No. I'm the daughter of Eira the Sheikah," I tell him, holding my swords in the air. They're crossed like an _X_. It exposes my entire body, but the lightning strikes just in time. I'm holding the electricity in my hands. I strike Demise, making him yell in pain. The world rumbles as he screeches out. "The demon king isn't nearly as tough now, is he?" I sneer, rubbing my swords together, making a familiar metal-on-metal sound.

"Stupid half breed!" Demise roars.

"This place will be your burial-not mine!" I yell to him. Demise looks angrily at me. "Now would you want to play with the kitty more, or would you like to admit defeat?" I hiss. A green figure stands next to me, sword gleaming.

"Miriam, now is not the time to start taunting the demon king," Link whispers.

"Did you handle the Darknuts?" I ask him. He nods. Demise grins at us.

"How sweet," he mutters. "Two young people in love. How does it feel to know your parents never experienced that?" Demise says. I turn to him, seeing red.

"It's not like you ever experienced this, either," I snarl, charging again. _Did I really just admit to being in love with Link? _I think to myself. _Now really isn't the time to think about that._ Link joins me, and the two of us battle. It's so familiar, fighting next to Link. "Where is Lark?" I ask Link.

"He's back with Ookami and Malon. He got a small wound on his leg," Link comments. I nod, dodging another strike.

"Will he be alright?" I inquire, striking Demise's arm. He roars in pain again.

"He should be fine," Link says. "Now, Miriam!" he shouts, holding a block with Demise. I hold my swords in the air again, lightning flowing into them.

"Switch!" I yell. Link dodges out of the way, giving me enough time to give a very clean shot to Demise's chest. The demon king falls back, screeching with pain. The earth under me rumbles as he falls.

"Finish him, Miriam!" Link shouts. I don't need to be told twice. I pounce, digging my sword into his chest and dragging it through his stomach.

"Good night, Demise," I tell him. The demon king roars in pain, the sound hurting my ears. I stand up off of him. He isn't finished yet, apparently. Too fast for me to react, he sits up and strikes his sword into my side. _Pain._ I fall onto my back, clutching my wound. Warm blood wraps around my fingers like a ribbon. Link rushes to my side, but he's already blurring out.

"Miriam!" he cries out, kneeling next to me. I try to reach my hand up, but I can't seem to find the strength. I fight the blackness. I can't fall asleep. My head pounds, my side aches. There's so much pain. "Miriam, come on… Stay with me, okay?" Link murmurs. I can see tears forming. I open my mouth to speak.

"Don't cry," I tell him. Link smiles at me weakly. "Just… Link… I…" I start to speak.

"Don't speak, Miriam. Go to sleep, okay?" he says, stroking my hair. He never does that. I sigh, closing my eyes.

"I…" I try to push the words out of my mouth, but they don't come. The blackness takes over.

Chapter 26

_Someone is walking towards me. I'm in a world of white. It's not like my usual nightmare. This one makes me calm. I watch the person walking to me. It's a woman. Her face is familiar. Her eyes are red, and she wears the markings of a Sheikah. "Miriam, my dear," the woman says. Her voice is calm and steady. I smile at her. Her voice alone soothes me. _

_ "Am I dead?" I ask her. She chuckles. _

_ "Not yet, Miriam. You won't die for a good, long time," she says. "Do you remember me?" she asks. I stare at her. The white cloth covers her mouth and nose, but I can see her eyes. They're red. But they're not an intense shade of red-they're gentle and familiar. They're nothing like Naberius'._

_ "Mom," I breathe, staring at her. _

_ "That's me," she chuckles. "You never knew me well as a mother. I'm sorry, dear. You can call me Eira, you know," my mother beams. Her brown hair falls into her face, making me instantly brush it aside. She wears all blue, rimmed with gold and white. I guess I got my love of the color blue from my mother. _

_ "What am I going to do?" I cry, realizing that my own world is in total chaos. I killed the demon king, yes, but I was also stabbed. I wouldn't be surprised if I was coughing up blood and dying soon. _

_ "You'll do fine, Miriam. You haven't done too badly so far, either," Eira laughs. Her eyes light up when she laughs or smiles. _

_ "Can I wake up now?" I beg. I want to see Link and Ookami and Lark and even Malon. "I have a lot to do, you know. I have to help Ookami plan her wedding, and I have to figure out a way to defeat Naberius," I frown. _

_ "Busy girl, you are. Well, at least you've found friends at last. You've got a good head on your shoulders, Miriam. But you have to learn how to let your heart lead once in a while," she says. I scowl. _

_ "That's so cliché, Mom," I tell her. Eira giggles._

_ "I would make a good Mom. I'm embarrassing you already," she smirks. "Now you have to return to reality. Good-bye, honey," she says waving to me. Eira shrinks away, until all that's left is the white room. _

I hear familiar voices around me. They're all talking low, and their tones of voice sound sad and worried. I open my eyes, looking at the ceiling. The paper stars that Link and I made are up there. I try to sit up but immediately regret it. My side sends me into intense pain. Several people rush to my side. I get lowered down to my back.

"You really shouldn't do that, Miri," Ookami says.

"Miri?" I let out, still wincing in pain. _Gosh_ that hurts!

"Yeah. It's your nickname," Ookami says cheerfully. I gasp in pain. "You okay?" she asks.

"Oh, I don't know. I was stabbed in the side. Do I _look_ okay to you?" I snap. This doesn't even faze Ookami. "I'm hungry," I whine.

"She's your fiancé," Lark tells Link. He shrugs and hands me a bowl of soup. I quickly eat it.

"How long was I asleep?" I ask them, yawning.

"A week," Lark says.

"A WEEK!?" I yelp, nearly choking on the soup. The others nod like this is nothing. "Did anything happen?" I ask them. Ookami starts to say something, but Link cuts her off.

"Well, Ookami and Lark are married now and now they have a kid," Link jokes. I grin and give him a high-five.

"Let the marriage jokes begin," I grin.

"We could do the same thing to you," Ookami points out. I raise my eyebrows at her.

"Yeah, but those got old quickly," I tell her. "Can't you heal this, Link?" I ask him, wincing again. Digesting hurts. Link pulls out the blue ocarina.

"I tried to teach Ookami," Link murmurs. "But she couldn't quite play it right. Dark can't play it. He only knows the Song of Unhealing. So you're really the only one who can play it right. Maybe it takes someone who grew up in the Kokiri Forest," he says, handing me the ocarina. I turn it over in my hands.

"Ookami didn't put her mouth on this, did she?" I ask suspiciously.

"No, she used Dark's," Link says. I put my mouth on the ocarina. All the songs I could play come back. The feel of the ocarina is so familiar. "Ready?" he asks. I nod. I begin to play the Song of Healing, the notes all very familiar. It's a rather creepy song. The story of the Majora's Mask has been around for a long, long time. Supposedly, the mask gave extreme power to anyone who possessed it. Many of the Kokiri children would try to play the Song of Healing to see if they could possess nearly as much power. Link finishes singing the Song of Healing, and I look at my wound. It's slowly beginning to feel better. I sigh.

"Feel better?" Lark asks. I nod, unwrapping the bandages. A giant scar still remains.

"Gross," I mumble.

"Scars are cool, though," Link teases. I sit up, still feeling a little weak. I haven't eaten in a week, and all they've given me is soup. I need more food. I stand up and walk over to the kitchen. "What are you doing?" Link asks. I dig around, finding some bread. I eat the entire loaf.

"You haven't fed me in a week. I need food. And water…" I mumble, my mouth full. Ookami hands me a glass of water. I chug it. "So we finally defeated the demon king, huh?" I ask them, leaning against the fireplace casually. The others scratch their heads, not saying anything. Malon finally walks into the room, coming up from the basement. She holds supplies for the horses.

"Oh, Miriam! You're healed!" she says, surprised. I grin.

"Too bad you didn't get to hear Link sing," I tell her. I turn to the others. "Alright, what aren't you telling me?" I ask them. Link coughs and says something about needing to get more firewood, Ookami mutters something about the horses, and Malon is out the door before I can catch her. I trap Lark and force him to tell me. "Spill it." He sighs.

"Naberius is the new demon king," he says. I gasp, panic filling my insides again. Lark helps me sit down, steadying me. My breath comes in rapid gasps.

"No…" I murmur. Lark frowns at me.

"He really scares you, doesn't he?" he says. I shake my head.

"No. He doesn't scare me. Water and heights scare me. Death scares me. Naberius _terrifies_ me," I frown. "How did you find this out?"

"Kaepora Gaebora," Lark replies.

"Good thing I wasn't awake," I grumble. I probably would have ripped the head off of him. "Anything else?" I ask. Lark shakes his head.

"That's about it," he says, getting up.

"Okay… Let's see about the others," I yawn, stretching. We walk outside, the chilly air stinging our noses. I pull out my cloak and wrap it around me tightly. "They're probably at Ordon Springs, aren't they?" I say.

"Probably." We walk over to the springs, where Link, Malon, and Ookami sit. Botan runs up to me, headbutting me.

"Hey, buddy," I giggle, stroking him. "You _smell!" _I tell him.

"I'll wash him for you later," Malon offers. I nod absentmindedly.

"Anyone want to go to Faron Woods and wander around for a bit?" I ask. They all raise their hands. "Well then, let's go!" I grin, leading Botan by the reins. We get out onto the pathway but don't even make it to the bridge. There, leaning against the rock wall, is Ghirahim. My swords are out in a flash. "You again! We vanquished your master, didn't we?" I hiss. Ghirahim frowns, his face filled with genuine sadness.

"Well, you did. However, that does not mean you have gotten rid of me," Ghirahim points out.

"What does it take to get rid of you!?" I exclaim, charging at him with my swords. He vanishes, leaving me striking thin air. I get tapped on the shoulder and spin around. Ghirahim's face is _right_ next to mine.

"You don't get rid of me, _Master,_" he says, his voice sickly sweet. I back up, but Ghirahim follows my movements until I'm backed against the rock wall. My face is red, and the words don't seem to come out. Ghirahim's forehead is nearly touching mine. I can't move-I'm stuck in place.

"Get away from her, you creep!" Link says. Ghirahim flashes him an angered look.

"You have no control over me!" Ghirahim snaps. He turns back to me. His white gloved hand touches my cheek. I swallow. "Scared, are you? You don't like people to come near you, do you?" he smirks. I stomp my foot. Ghirahim gives me a smirk, standing even closer, until the only thing I can see is his eye and the white hair covering his other eye. "What if… I touched you like this?" He asks, putting his hand on my waist. I hear the familiar sound of the Master Sword being unsheathed.

"BACK OFF!" I scream. Ghirahim instantly takes three steps back and stands at attention.

"Yes, Master," he says. I cock my head at him.

"What was that about?" I ask.

"You're my master. I have to listen to your every command. You killed my old master, and so now I am your servant. Your sword, if you will."

"I already have two swords, you know. I don't need a third one," I tell him. Ghirahim walks over, grabs one of my swords, and snaps in half. He tosses it off the rope bridge between Ordon and Faron.

"Now you need another sword."

"What was that for!?" I exclaim.

"You needed me, so I am now your sword. What would you like for me to look like, Master?" Ghirahim asks. I stare at him blankly. He sighs. "Demise chose an immense dark sword. No matter what you choose, I will always be that color. However, I can change shape," Ghirahim explains.

"Okay. Can you be part of a dual sword?" I ask him. He nods slowly.

"Yes. I can do that. Ooh! It will be black and white. You will look lovely, Master," the demon lord grins.

"You're not seriously thinking of letting him do that, are you?" Link asks. I look over at him. He does _not _like the idea of Ghirahim being my sword. I raise my eyebrow at him.

"He'll be helpful, you know," I remind Link.

"But he's a demon lord."

"But he'll be helpful," I beg. Link sighs, shaking his head.

"I can handle him, if you'd like, Master Miriam," Ghirahim comments. I shake my head at him, not liking the sound of 'Master Miriam'.

"No, it's fine. And don't call me that. Just call me Miriam or something," I tell him. I turn to Link. "If this is going to be a problem, we can just get rid of him."

"No you cannot," Ghirahim grins. "You are stuck with me until you die or you do a ritual," he smirks. I scowl at him.

"Alright, what do I have to do for the ritual thing?"

"Well, first you take a dragon and you chop its head off…"

"Okay we're sticking to just killing me," I remark. "Sorry, Link," I shrug. Link frowns, walking up to Ghirahim (my fiancé is shorter than my sword's spirit…).

"You'd better keep those filthy, gloved hands off of her," he snaps. Ghirahim raises his eyebrows at Link.

"I can't help it if they touch her," Ghirahim smirks. "Anyway, here is your sword, Master." He hands me a black sword, not too heavy, not too light. I swing it in the air. It seems perfect. I grin.

"Thank you, Ghirahim. You may go return to whatever you do," I tell him. Ghirahim sighs.

"I'll go back into the sword," he whines, disappearing into the black sword. I sheathe it and look at the others.

"Well then. I think that's about it for today…" I say, grinning. "Let's get back home," I sigh, walking back down the pathway. Botan headbutts me again. I giggle and swing my leg over him, riding him through the woods with the others following. An awkward thought comes to my head. I turn to the others. "Hey, who wrapped the bandage around my waist?" I ask.

"Link and I took turns," Ookami answers. My face turns red. Link doesn't meet my eye. I turn Botan around and continue walking through the forest. We make it home, where I dismount Botan and pat his head. He still smells really bad. I crawl back up the familiar ladder at record speed. We all sit down inside, not knowing what to do.

"So, Miriam, I've been wondering…" Ookami starts. _Well this is going to end badly._ "I really have two questions for you. First thing, did you admit to actually liking Link while you were fighting Demise? Actually, if I heard it right, you admitted to being in love," she says cheerfully. My head hits the table instantly. I let out a groan.

"I should have stayed asleep," I grumble. _Yep. Definitely not ending well._

"And then the other question," Ookami begins. _Oh great. Another question…_ "What did you start to say before you passed out in Link's arms?" _Ookami, I hate you. What I was going to say is those three fateful words, but they didn't make it out._

"I'm going to bed," I growl, heading up the ladder. Everyone smirks at me. _I really should have stayed asleep._

"You're just going to have to answer in the morning!" Ookami yells at me. I ignore her and curl up, my face still red. I hate being embarrassed.

Chapter 27

"Miriam tell me!" Ookami whines. I put the jars back on the shelf, ignoring her. It's been like this all morning. I simply ignore her, although the others will start pestering me soon as well. Link will silently stare at me with those blue eyes and pierce the question into my head. Malon will politely ask about it, and Lark will simply agree with Ookami. _I know these people too well._ Sure enough, everyone does exactly what I predicted.

"So Miriam, were you planning on answering that question from Ookami?" Malon asks, smiling.

"You should tell me," Ookami says.

"Yup," Lark agrees. I glance over at Link, my face unamused. He's staring at me. _Exactly as I predicted._ A flash of white and purple makes me spin around. Ghirahim stands behind me.

"Would you like for me to express your real emotional state towards Link?" he grins. I frown at him.

"Butt out, Ghirahim. I'll tell them on my own," I snarl. Ghirahim shrugs and stands in the corner of the room. He seems to be inspecting the place.

"Continue," Lark says, placing his head on his hands and staring at me. I stick my tongue out at him.

"Funny. I don't remember the questions. Oh well," I say sarcastically. I start to get up from the table, but Malon drags me back down. I frown at her.

"And I was just starting to get along with you," I comment.

"Answer the questions, Miriam," Ookami says. "Here, I'll refresh your memory: Did you admit to falling in love with Link, and what were you saying before you passed out?" she asks. I fill my cheeks with air, making a funny face. I let the air out and lay my head on the table between my arms.

"Yes and I love you," I mumble.

"Say it louder," Ookami giggles.

"I hate you," I tell her.

"Come on, Miriam," she pokes me.

"No. Leave me alone," I mutter. Ookami keeps poking me. "Ghirahim, could you get her to stop poking me?" I beg, lifting my head from the table. There's probably an imprint of wood on my forehead.

"That would require me chopping off her head, Master. Are you alright with this?" Ghirahim says, inspecting his manicure.

"No, that won't do. Just… Tie up her hands or something," I instruct. I watch Lark's face as Ghirahim ties up Ookami's hands. The demon lord walks back to his corner. Ookami prods me with her foot, hopping around on the other.

"You're going to have to say it some time, Miriam," Ookami points out, falling on the floor. Lark offers to help her up, but she refuses. She sits on the floor, staring up at me. "You can't help the fact that you and Link are getting married. So you have to say it sometime. And it may as well be today," she says. I glare at her.

"I already said my answers," I remind her.

"Not loud enough for us to hear anything."

"YES AND I LOVE YOU," I shout. "Happy now?" I snap. The entire room falls silent. Even Ghirahim has no lightning fast retort. Finally, someone answers _my _question.

"Yes, actually. Very happy," Ookami smirks, standing up. Lark helps untie her. "That's all I wanted," she says, leading Lark outside. Malon walks out to wash Botan, leaving me with Link and Ghirahim. My head hits the table over and over again.

"Why… Am… I… So… Stupid…" I mutter between slamming my head on the table. Someone grabs my shoulders, keeping me from giving myself a headache. I squirm, but Ghirahim or Link holds tight. "Stop it," I whine. It clearly isn't Ghirahim, because he doesn't let go.

"I am going to go now, Master," Ghirahim says quickly, disappearing back into my sword. Link takes the sword and places it outside so he can't listen to our conversation. Then, he sits back down. I stare at the table in silence.

"Did you mean it?" Link asks, his voice low. I hate it when he uses that voice. It makes me want to be truthful. I don't meet his eyes.

"Maybe," I mutter. Link puts his hand under my chin and lifts it. I'm forced to look at him. "I…" I start to say. Link shakes his head and stands up.

"Miriam, you know what I said when you died, don't you?" he asks. I nod. _That's right… He said I love you… _That seems like years ago. "Then we're even," he says, pacing. "As long as you meant it, of course," Link murmurs, sitting back down. _What does he mean by that? Of course I meant it! I wouldn't say it if I didn't. _

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it, Link," I remind him. He chuckles.

"You're always that way, Miriam. I never have to worry about whether you're not comfortable with the situation. But you lie a lot, Miriam," he reminds me. I frown.

"I was raised by a demon, Link. What do you expect? He wasn't exactly teaching me that lying, cheating, and stealing were wrong," I point out.

"Alright, good point," Link mutters. "Now what are we going to do?" He doesn't have to say what he's talking about. I know what he's talking about. _Our wedding. _I hate the idea that I'm forced to marry him, even if he is the Hero of Time and the holder of the Triforce of Courage and has saved the princess a bunch of times and is one of my best friends.

"There's no way out of it," I grumble.

"Not unless I die, which isn't really a choice, since you won't let me," Link says jokingly. I don't laugh. I glare at him.

"At any rate, there's no way out of it. I guess we can keep fighting it, or we could celebrate it like Ookami and Lark," I say. I catch a grin from Link.

"In that case, I guess there will be a lot of this," he laughs, picking me up. I squirm, but he manages to open the door and go down the ladder with me slung over his shoulder.

"I'm guessing you two are getting along now?" Ookami teases. Link puts me down. I fix my hair and frown at Ookami.

"Yes, but you're going to regret that, little demon," I growl in fake anger. Ookami squeals as I chase after her. Lark chases after me. Link and Malon sit back and watch. I back Ookami into a corner. "You surrender now?" I grin.

"Never!" she shouts, trying to get past me. Lark comes from behind me and shoves me to the side, giving Ookami enough room to get through.

"No fair! It's two against one!" I yell, getting up and chasing them.

"I will be on your side, Master," Ghirahim's voice says. I spin around, seeing him. For once, I grin.

"Well, this fight just got way more fair!" I cheer. "Okay. Go have fun, Ghirahim," I smirk. "I bet your other master didn't tell you to do _that._"

"You're right, Master. He never did," the demon lord says, disappearing into thin air. Three seconds later, Ookami and Lark stand in front of me. "Did I do well, Master?"

"Very. That's all I'll be needing for now, Ghirahim," I smile. He disappears again.

"That's cheating!" Ookami whines.

"Come on, it's lunch time," I giggle, leading them inside.

"What's for lunch?" Ookami asks. I frown at her.

"I'm not feeding you," I tell her, sitting in one of the kitchen chairs. I take some left over soup and start swallowing it rapidly. Ghirahim appears.

"You certainly should not eat so rapidly," he says, cringing. I swallow my spoonful of soup, then pick up the bowl and tip it all into my mouth. I finish, putting the bowl down and watching his face. _Pure horror. _"Master! Eating too hastily will make you plump!" Ghirahim exclaims.

"I'm sure I'll be just fine," I tell him, patting my stomach.

"Ghirahim's right, though," Ookami says. "We don't want a fat bride." I nearly spit my drink out onto her. After recovering from my near-choking experience, I glare at her.

"Must I remind you that we're only engaged because of my demon father?" I remind her. Ookami shrugs, taking a sip of her drink. "And you're engaged out of the fact that you two love each other," I point out.

"Yes, but you and Link love each other," the blonde says, putting her drink back onto the table. We stare at each other. "So why not get married?"

"Because I'd like to get married out of my own free will," I scowl. Link shakes his head at us.

"You really like the idea of being independent, don't you?" he teases. I stick my tongue out at him. He sits right next to me and puts his hand on my shoulder. I stare at him, unamused. "Let's get married," Link says casually. If I had something in my mouth, I would be choking on it.

"What do you mean!?" I exclaim. "I thought we were going to go up against Naberius and fight him," I point out. Link sighs, shaking his head.

"Naberius wants us to fight back. He wants us to show that his daughter is a fighter. Now that he's the demon king, he's going to need all the help he can get to earn the other demons' respect. Nothing is a bigger slap in the face than his daughter's marriage to the Hero of Time," Link points out. I glare at him. _He really doesn't get it, does he? _

"Link, I don't want to get married because it will anger Naberius! I want to get married because I love…" I rephrase it. "Marriage should be between two people who love each other. Not because the bride's demon father is forcing her into it." I hope Link didn't notice that I stopped before I said _I love you._ I've always had an issue with saying those words.

"Master," Ghirahim begins. "You love one another. Why not have a _fabulous_ wedding!?"

"Ghirahim, go back into the sword," I snap. He does exactly as I say. I like having someone obey my every order. I slam my head against the table. "I just want to be a normal girl, you know?" I mumble. I think the others heard me, but I'm not sure.

"We know you want to be normal," Ookami says, sitting next to me. "But you're the center of the Triforce, a half demon, and engaged to the Hero of Time," she points out. "I feel at least one part of that pain. But we're both engaged!" she says cheerfully.

"Yes, but you were proposed to romantically and stuff," I point out. "I was pushed onto the forest floor in front of Rusl and told I was marrying Link."

"If you'd like to have a proposal…" Link starts. Ookami stops him.

"Proposals are supposed to be a surprise," she points out. "And you kind of have to not be mad at each other for you to propose…"

"We're not mad at each other," I say bluntly. "I'm just… frustrated," I murmur, putting my head in my hands. Someone stands over me and rubs my arm.

"I'm sorry you're forced into this," Link whispers. He kneels down next to me, holding onto my hand. I look at him. "But…"

"What?"

"Will you marry me?"

"Wh-I…"

_"You're panicking, little witch. I can feel it. Your memory is fresh. I can feel your panic. You can't love him, can you? If you do, he'll disappear, just like all the other people you loved." His laugh is nauseating. "But you can't say no. You'll break his heart. Oh but you can't say yes… It's a paradox, isn't it? A trap. Just to make you feel pain. I love that, brat. Keep on hurting. I feed off of your pain and sorrow. Now that I'm the demon king, I'll come after you." _

"Just say yes!" Ookami cheers. I stare at Link's blue eyes. I can't say yes. I can't say no. Link squeezes my hand.

"You okay?" he whispers. I nod. _Push out Naberius. Push out your past. Just say it._

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" I laugh, trying to ignore Naberius' pull on me. Link stands up and stands close to me. My face turns red. Ookami, Lark, Malon, and Ghirahim all clap for us.

"Don't just stand there! Kiss her!" Malon cheers. Link leans over and kisses me, making the world spin around me. I really wish he wouldn't do that.

"Now we're both engaged!" Ookami grins. I turn Din's fire red and look at her.

"I already was before…" I point out.

"Don't ruin the moment," Link says. I stick my tongue out him and push out all of Naberius' threats. _No time to think about him._

Chapter 28

"Miri! Come practice with me!" Ookami whines. I groan, my shoulders drooping.

"You truly should not do that, Master. It causes atrocious injury to your back," Ghirahim's voice says.

"Shut up, Ghira," I sneer. I hadn't even made it to Ordon Springs before someone wanted to spend time with me. For the last three days, I've been trying to avoid anyone, but I keep getting stuck with awkward conversations. I suppose it's time for Ookami and me to have a heart-to-heart talk. Lark's little chat was simply 'if he breaks your heart I'll break his face'. That was, of course, before I pointed out that I'd feel the two of them touch.

"Miri! There you are!" Ookami giggles, throwing her arm around my neck. My scowl deepens. "We can talk while we train, too," she says. _I knew it. Should have crawled up a tree._ Ookami stares at me. "Is something wrong?" she asks, finally taking her arm off of me.

"She is drowsy and irritable," Ghirahim's voice says. I curse at him under my breath. "I heard that!" he yells. I hate training with Ghirahim. He's always telling me what moves will be better.

"Well I'm sure you'll feel better after you train with your best friend!" she grins. I glare at her and continue walking into Faron Woods. She sets up the dummy. "Okay, go ahead, Miri. I don't see why you have to be so crabby. You're finally engaged for _real._" I keep myself from mentioning the fact that we were engaged 'for real' before. I unsheathe my swords, the feeling familiar and calming. I charge at the dummy, feinting at the last moment to duck under and give it an attack in the back.

"I think it would be dead by now," I point out, pulling my sword out of the wood.

"I guess you're right," Ookami says, scanning over it. "How are you and Link getting along?" she asks. I stare at her blankly. Honestly, I haven't had much time to talk to him lately. A few of Fado's goats got out yesterday. Link was forced to run around and chase them. I've been busy trying to avoid people, though it's not going well.

"I haven't exactly been able to talk to him lately," I tell her. "People have been trying to talk to me," I say, stabbing the dummy. Ghirahim pops out of the sword. I put my foot on the dummy to give myself more leverage to pull out the sword.

"I _do_ wish we could exercise on tangible enemies," Ghirahim sighs. I rip the sword out.

"Back in, Ghira," I tell him.

"I really wish you wouldn't call me that."

"I really wish you wouldn't call me your master," I tell him. Ghirahim does as I say, and I continue to practice. Ookami gets her bow ready. "It's not that I don't want to talk to him," I say, kicking the dummy and flipping over. "It's just that talking to him wears me out. He makes me talk about emotional stuff," I growl, cutting the head off of the dummy after Ookami lands an arrow into its forehead. "You know what I mean?"

"I understand," Ookami yawns, handing me a flask with water in it. I chug it. "But you still have to talk to him."

"What would we even talk about?" I ask her, putting the cap back on it. "I'm not exactly into the whole sappy thing," I point out, unsheathing my swords again.

"Probably the wedding. You could talk about how much you love each other," Ookami teases. I step forward, watch to make sure there's nothing around me, and back flip. "That was pretty cool," Ookami admits. I grin.

"And again, I'm not really into telling people that sort of stuff. It's weird," I tell her, kicking the dummy to make sure it's in the ground securely.

"You just don't like it because you're uncomfortable with it," she teases. "You never directly told Link that you loved him," she points out.

"Yeah, but that's so awkward…" I grumble. I start beating the crap out of the dummy. It winds up being a pile of splinters.

"Remind me not to get you mad," Ookami laughs. "It may be awkward, but you have to deal with it sometime. It's like ripping off a band-aid."

"A what?" I ask, confused. Ookami says the weirdest things.

"A… Bandage," she says. "It hurts at first, but once you've got it over with, you're fine," she shrugs, picking up her bow. "You wanna be the one to get another dummy?"

"No. We're done talking, aren't we?" I ask her, sheathing my swords and lifting the leftover wood from the ground. "That's all you wanted. No use training," I point out. Ookami lands an arrow on a nearby tree. I pull it out and hand it to her. "Now let's go back so I can have some sort of sappy conversation with someone else," I say. Ookami stares at me.

"We're that predictable, huh?" she giggles. I shrug.

"Everyone else has been doing this for days. Link was lucky-he had an excuse. I was about to go hide and crawl up a tree before you called for me. Even the kids had a chat with me," I tell her. I'm not lying, either. It went like _"M-Miss Miriam, are you really getting married to Link?" "Yes." "If he's ever mean to you… We can beat him up or something…" "That's… Very kind of you all, but it won't be necessary. Now go rescue Ilia from the evil Mayor Bo, okay?" _They were adorable and caring, unlike a lot of the others.

Malon's chat with me was… interesting. She told me that Link and I would go through a lot of troubling times, but she would never try to steal him from me. (She said this as she was making his favorite dinner, however, and right after she washed Epona, and right before she sat right next to him at dinner and offered to brush his hair.) Lark dragged me over to Ordon Springs and offered to punch Link if he ever hurt me. Rusl gave me a chat about what happens after marriage, Mayor Bo told me to be careful, and Fado said not to hold up Link when he needs him to work. Just about everyone has talked to me. All of a sudden, being officially engaged is making me rather weary.

Ookami lets out a yawn. "I'm tired. I think I'll go see Lark," she says, leaving me next to Ordon Springs. I shrug and hand her the wood.

"Use it for firewood," I smirk. She sticks her tongue out at me but walks towards the tree house anyway. I walk into the springs, immediately taking off my cloak, boots, and socks. There's a small strip of water that's just barely deep enough to swim in. I take advantage of it and let my feet dangle from the edge, splashing water onto my arms and face.

"You busy?" Link asks. I spin around. He stands just before the water reaches his boots. I shake my head.

"No. I'm not busy at the moment. Although someone will want to have some sort of chat with me soon," I giggle. Link sits with his back on mine, so we can't see each other's faces.

"I know what you mean. Can you keep a secret?" he asks. I nod. "I'm the one who let out the goats."

"Link!" I laugh. "I can't believe you did that!"

"I kept them in Faron Springs. They were fine," he chuckles. "I was so sick of having others give me speeches that I made myself busy," Link says.

"What did you do in your free time anyway?" I ask him. He turns around, sitting next to me now. I look at him.

"I, uh… Was making this," he murmurs, holding up a small, golden ring. I turn a brilliant shade of red and look away. Link taps me on the shoulder. "Come on, Miriam. You can't keep doing this to me," he sighs. I trace my finger through the sand. "Please?"

"What am I supposed to say?" I ask him.

"That you'll accept it. That you're happy about this whole thing. That you love me," he whispers. I let out a gasp.

"I don't… Link…" I sigh, turning to face him again. I stare at his blue eyes. They're so pretty. I take in a deep breath. "I do accept it. I'm nervous about this whole thing. And…" it takes all my strength not to look away. "I love you," I say confidently. Link smiles.

"See? Was that really that hard?" he teases. I blush more. "I love you too, Miriam," Link smiles. His hair is getting in his face. I push it back. "That bugs you, doesn't it?" I nod absentmindedly pushing it behind his ear and knocking his hat back. I catch it but hold onto it.

"You look better without your hat on," I tell him. Link laughs, putting his hand on my cheek and drawing me closer. My face feels like it's on fire.

"I know," he smirks. I wrap my arms around his neck and bury my face into his tunic. He smells like forest and wood. He smells like home. "Did Naberius find you?" Link whispers. I nod, my face still buried in his tunic. Somehow, Naberius seems so much smaller now that I'm sitting in Link's arms. I lean back, looking at him.

"I… He knows that I'm scared of getting married. Every time I get close to someone, they die or disappear or hurt me. Naberius _knows_ that. Now he can hurt the both of us easily. If he kills you, he hurts me. He feeds off of hurt, Link. I'm scared," I murmur. Link nods, holding me tightly. He doesn't say anything for a moment. I just sit there in his lap, holding my head against his neck. I let out a sigh.

"He can't hurt us, Miriam," Link murmurs.

"Yes he can," I mumble back. "Nothing else really scares me, Link," I remind him.

"Can you keep another secret?" Link whispers. I nod my head, still holding tightly. "I used to be scared of Ganondorf. And then I realized he's got weaknesses, just like us. Naberius has _some_ weakness. You just have to think about when you were trapped in the temple. He has a weakness. Everyone does," he says softly. Talking to Link makes my problems seem to melt away. I'm not nearly as scared of Naberius anymore. Link starts to stand up, still holding me. I hold on tightly, scared of him dropping me.

"Thanks," I tell him.

"For what?" he chuckles, walking through Ordon Woods. I realize that my feet are still wet from the springs.

"For helping me out there. You made me a little less scared," I sigh. Link lets me down as we near the tree house. "Now what?" I ask him. He shrugs.

"Now you get ready for our wedding, prepare for Ookami and Lark's, and figure out what we're having for dinner," Link grins. I put his hat back on his head and hug him tightly.

"How's cucco sound?" I ask him.

"Excellent," he laughs. I let go of him and skip up to the tree house, scrambling up the ladder like a cat. I hop inside, where Ookami and Lark sit talking.

"Someone seems in a good mood," Lark chuckles. I shrug.

"I'm just a girl… Who's getting married," I giggle, pulling out the ingredients for dinner. "We're having cucco for dinner. I hope that's okay with you two," I tell them, setting a jar on the counter. I look over at them. They're just kind of looking at each other. "Staring contest?" I grin.

"No…" Ookami says dreamily. I cringe. _Gross!_ "That sounds great…" she murmurs. I walk over to the two and stand between them.

"You two are unbelievably gross, you know that?" I tell them.

"I think it's kind of cute," Malon says from across the room.

"I think they're a cute couple. I just don't think I'd be caught dead doing something like that," I tell her. A thought comes into my head. "Where are we going to get the dresses?" I ask. Someone walks through the door. I assume it's Link.

"We could go to Castle Town," he says.

"Really!?" Ookami says excitedly.

"Well, yeah," Link shrugs. "Madame Moreau would be happy to help us out. She loves doing that sort of thing."

"We can't just force ourselves upon her," I point out, mixing the ingredients. I sprinkle some flavoring on the cucco meat. Link walks over, wrapping his arms around my waist and putting his head on my shoulder. I glance at him, my eyebrows raised. "Since when did you get so affectionate?" I laugh. "Anyway, don't you think that would be rude?"

"She's retired now. She loves having visitors. And even if she doesn't want us there, Castle Town has a lot of shops. We need to get away from Ordon for a while," Link tells me, letting go of me and walking over to the table. I place the plates of food in front of them. Ghirahim comes out of the sword. A realization hits me. _He heard Link and I's entire conversation._ My face turns bright red.

"Something troubling you, Master?" Ghirahim asks. I shake my head.

"I, uh… Just forgot to make the cinnamon apples," I lie. Ghirahim claps his gloved hands together.

"I'll make them!" he says cheerfully. _Anything to keep him away from me._ I wonder if the demon lord can actually _cook._ I don't even know if he eats. After we've all finished the cooked cucco, Ghirahim puts a bit of cinnamon apple on our plates. It looks very fancy, lathered in some sort of cinnamon gravy. The apples are cut perfectly, and he puts them in the very center of our plates, taking care that they don't go to the side.

"Thank you, Ghirahim," I smile.

"Any time, Master," he says, disappearing again. I taste the apples. _They're perfect._ Ghirahim made them absolutely perfect. The others seem to feel the same way. After this filling dinner, I'm ready for bed. And now I know that Ghirahim can cook.

"We're leaving in the morning," Link yawns, stretching. "Better get to bed." I nod, catching his yawn. After cleaning up after dinner, I crawl up the ladders and curl up, staring at the setting sun.

Chapter 29

I wake up late in the morning-I can tell. I'm sitting on Epona, holding onto Link. I didn't even wake up when we started riding. We're already in Faron Woods by now, slowly walking through the forest. We pass by Coro. He's sleeping on his rock, so we walk carefully by him. Link turns to look at me.

"Finally up, huh?" he asks. I nod, yawning. "You must have been really tired. You didn't even wake up when I put you on Epona," he laughs.

"Yeah… I slept really well, though," I smile.

"No Naberius?" he asks quietly. I shake my head.

"No demons," I grin.

"What's the matter with demons?" Ghirahim asks from the sword. I giggle.

"Nothing wrong with demons," I tell him. "I just don't like it when they barge into my dreams. It's become a bit of a trend," I grumble.

"You've already gotten her into a bad mood now, Ghirahim," Link says. I stick my tongue out at him. "Anyway, we'll stop and rest in the usual place in Hyrule Field," he tells me. _The same place where I killed Demise._

"Okay," I murmur, putting my head on his back again. I close my eyes, not falling asleep, but just sitting there.

»•§•«

"Miri, what do you want for lunch?" Ookami asks me. I shrug.

"Food," I tell her. I sit against the tree, curled up next to Botan. Link and Dark Link are washing Geno and Epona, and Malon is napping. Ookami sits next to me, taking a bite of some bread. She hands a piece to me. I happily eat it. Ghirahim comes out and stands across from us. From where I'm sitting, he seems even taller than he already is.

"Master, may I speak with you?" he inquires. I raise my eyebrow.

"Is it something Ookami can hear?" I ask him. Ookami looks shocked.

"What can't I hear!?" she complains. I hush her.

"Well, I just wanted to remark that I perceived your entire exchange with Link yesterday," the demon lord says. My face turns Din's fire red. "And I'm remorseful about Naberius haunting you. I was acquainted with him a while ago. He captured a young lady… What was her name…?" he mutters.

"Eira?" I ask him. Ghirahim snaps his fingers.

"That was it! Captivating young woman. Could have really made it in the world of fashion. She knew distinctly what accessories to wear with everything-"

"Go on," I growl.

"Oh! Anyway, Naberius captured her, and the latest I heard was that she was with child. But that was likely eighteen or nineteen years ago. I can't fathom-" Ghirahim stops, staring at me in shock. I nod.

"I'm the daughter of Naberius and Eira," I tell him. Ghirahim falls next to me, clutching my hand in sympathy. I back myself against the tree, turning redder still.

"I'm so sorry," he says.

"It's f-fine, Ghirahim," I stutter. I'm not really sure what to say, and apparently neither does Ookami. She just stares at the demon lord. Ghirahim puts his hands on my arms and his chin on my shoulder. "What are you doing?" I ask him.

"Hugging you. I thought that was apparent," he says bluntly, letting go of me and staring at me.

"What are you doing to her, Ghirahim!?" Link asks. He unsheathes the Master Sword and stands over the demon lord.

"Put your sword back!" I tell Link, standing up. "He was fine. He was actually just trying to be nice. No need to unsheathe that thing every time he comes near me!" I snap. Link sighs, sheathing the Master Sword.

"I'm sorry. I just… I find it hard to trust him," he admits. Ghirahim looks down at his gloved hands and disappears into the sword. I frown.

"Well you can trust him. He's perfectly loyal to his master, whomever that may be," I tell him. "Now let's get going. We have to make it to Castle Town by sunset." Link helps me onto Epona.

"I'm sorry, Miriam," he sighs.

"It's okay. Just remember that I can handle myself," I tell him. That's always been the issue with Link. He never trusts me to get out of a situation alive or unhurt. It's been like that ever since we first met.

We finally make it to Castle Town around sunset, just as planned. Several people greet us, asking questions about our lives. Lark shoves them all out of the way, creating a path for us. We make our way to Madame Moreau's house. A butler that I've never seen before opens the door for us.

"Good evening. Who are you?" the old man asks. Ghirahim comes out of the sword, sending the butler scrambling for his longsword.

"Easy there," I tell the butler. "He won't harm you." The butler shakes, putting his longsword down. "Ghirahim, get back," I tell him. Ghirahim does as I say, grumbling about how the Hylians are so easy to alarm.

"I can't let you in," he says. There's a sound of footsteps from behind him.

"Let them in, Edmund," Madame Moreau says. Edmund the butler lets us in. "Sorry for the trouble," the plump old woman says. "There have been a lot of robbers around lately. Come in!"

"Thank you, Madame Moreau," Link smiles. "We were wondering if you had any talent in making wedding dresses." Madame Moreau's face lights up. She looks freakishly happy.

"Who's the lucky bride!?" she exclaims. I hide behind Lark. Link looks around for me, not spotting me from behind Lark.

"Where'd she go…?" he asks. Ookami rolls her eyes.

"She's hiding," she says.

"I know how to draw her out," Link grins. I frown. _What could possibly draw me out?_ "Do you have any bacon, Madame Moreau?" _Okay, that could definitely draw me out._

"What kind of girl did you fall for, boy?" Madame Moreau laughs. I peek out from behind Lark. Link spots me and drags me out. "Miriam!?" she exclaims. I look down awkwardly. "Oh, you two were made for each other," she giggles. I blush furiously. "I will _gladly_ make you a wedding dress, darling."

"Actually, we need two," Link laughs. The plump woman's face turns white.

"You don't mean you're getting married to _two _girls, do you?" she inquires. I attempt to hold in my laughter, but I wind up bursting out laughing. Ookami seems to feel the same way, because in two seconds, we're both on the immaculate tiled floor of Madame Moreau's house, rolling around and laughing until we can't breathe. "I'll take that as a no."

"N-no, Madame Moreau," I giggle, trying to breathe. Link helps me up. "Ookami and Lark-I mean Dark Link-are getting married, too," I tell her. Madame Moreau seems extremely relieved.

"Good, good. They make a cute couple, too. We'll need materials…" she murmurs. "Favian!" she calls out. I groan, hitting my head on Link's shoulder. He pats me sympathetically. Favian comes rushing down the stairs, as attractive as ever. An idea pops into my head, and I quickly tell Link.

"Favian and Malon," I whisper. He grins, nodding.

"Yes, Madame Moreau?" Favian asks, bowing. He stares at us, shocked. "M-Miriam, what are you doing here?"

"Never mind that, boy," Madame Moreau snaps. "Just get material for a wedding dress." She names off a few very expensive materials.

"We can pay for those, Madame," Link says. He's right. I knew that being the Hero of Time and saving the princess would pay well, but I didn't realize he would have fifty rupees sitting in his basement just taking up space. He just prefers to stay in a tree house and actually work.

"No, I'll pay. There's nothing to spend my money on anyway," she chuckles. Link scowls. I step forward.

"Madame Moreau, you know that a bride's wedding day is a very important part of her life, right?" I ask her. I'm sugarcoating it, sure, but I don't care. "And you wouldn't want me to feel guilty about not paying, now would you? You _have_ to let Link pay," I tell her.

"W-well…" Madame Moreau frowns. "When you put it that way…" I run over and hug her.

"Thank you!" I beam. She claps her hands together.

"We need measurements! Let's get you upstairs to the measuring room," she says. I stare at her.

"There's a room devoted to measuring?"

"I was a dress maker, darling. Of course there's a measuring room! Now, come along," she says. I trail behind her with Ookami, leaving Link and Lark behind. I put my sword down outside the door. She instructs me to wear some very scandalous outfit that's extremely tight, and shows my stomach. I feel so awkward in it. I stand on a stool, where Madame Moreau takes some measuring tape and measures around me in random places. Ookami sits in the corner.

"I feel awkward," I complain. Ookami laughs.

"You look fine. The only thing that you can see that you usually can't is your stomach," she points out. I nod.

"But it's still my _stomach._" A knock on the door makes me jump.

"May I come in?" Link's voice asks. I turn a fiery shade of red.

"NO!" I yell. Madame Moreau looks at me, her hands on her hips.

"Why not?" Ookami questions. "He's already seen your stomach while he was wrapping your bandages, and it's not like it's any worse than what some people wear."

"He-he just can't!" I say, stomping my foot. Madame Moreau opens the door and lets Link in. I hop off the stool and stand behind Ookami.

"You should see some of the outfits the people in my world wear," she says. "They wear things that show their bellies, arms, chests, backs, and legs almost completely." Madame Moreau, Link, and I look at her, horrified.

"They would wear something like that!?" I exclaim. Ookami nods.

"It's perfectly normal for them," she shrugs. Link spots me and shakes his head.

"Really, Miriam?" he chuckles. I scowl at him, still hiding behind Ookami.

"I don't want you to see me like this!" I whine. "What did you come in for, anyway?"

"Oh, Favian delivered the materials," Link says, handing the white fluffy material to Madame Moreau.

"That was fast," Ookami comments. Link shrugs.

"I don't know why," he says. "Oh, and I introduced him to Malon. They seem to get along pretty well," he laughs. I grin at him, forgetting that my stomach's showing, and walk out from behind Ookami. "Anyway, I'd better get out," Link chuckles, walking out the door. I realize that he saw me anyway. I blush.

"Back on the stool, darling," Madame Moreau says, putting the materials down. I can tell it's going to be a long day.

Chapter 30

I've been measured from head to toe. My legs are sore from standing so much, and I've heard so much about weddings I think my ears will bleed. I get so many mixed feelings about the entire thing. We don't even have a date planned. It will probably just be a day in Ordon where Mayor Bo says some passages or something. The more marriage gets brought up, the more and more nervous that I get. After I'm done getting measured, Ookami gets measured. After she's done, we sit with Madame Moreau while she sews the dresses. Link, Lark, and Favian have all gone off somewhere in town (probably a pub, since Favian loves those so much), and Malon, Ookami, Madame Moreau, and I stay in the parlor.

"So are you two ready?" Madame Moreau asks. I smooth out my skirt, sitting on the chair. Madame Moreau's manners have been rubbing off on us girls. It seems to have done the opposite to the boys.

"N-not really," I say, shivering. The whole idea of getting married is so weird. I hate that we're getting married mostly because of the stupid curse. Link tells me he loves me, but I feel so weird knowing that we'll die if we _don't_ get married.

"You're nervous aren't you?" the fat woman chuckles. I nod.

"It's such a weird feeling… Not even a year ago, I was just living in the Kokiri Forest alone, not even thinking of anything but survival. I didn't really do much there. But now, I'm suddenly engaged. And not only that, I'm engaged to _Link,"_ I point out. Madame Moreau nods understandingly.

"Let me tell you a story, darlings," she says, putting the white material down and turning to us. Malon and Ookami sit up even straighter. "I didn't become rich because I'm a dress maker. I married a very rich man. It was an arranged marriage-an attempt at bringing my family back to honor. I felt really guilty about it, and it wasn't until after we were married that we started to realize that we liked each other. After that, we actually became extremely close friends, and we started to really act like a married couple. So darlings, that's what marriage is about. It's life with your best friend. You start a family and grow up together," Madame Moreau finishes. I smile at her as she picks up the white material again.

"Thank you, Madame," I tell her, beaming at her. A sound at the front door makes us turn. Link, Lark, and Favian all walk in, laughing. Malon, Ookami, and I all stand up to greet them.

"Oh, hey, Miriam," Link smiles, walking over. I cock my head at him.

"Where were you guys?" I ask him. He starts to reply, but Favian cuts him off.

"We were hanging out together," Favian says. "I was telling him embarrassing stories about your childhood," he smirks. I stick my tongue out at him. "I'm kidding, Miri." Link raises his eyebrow at Favian, but he doesn't seem to catch it. "What's going on around here?" he asks.

"Just sewing the dresses," Madame Moreau says. "I was talking to the girls about some embarrassing facts about you." My respect for the elder woman just grew so much.

"M-Madame!" Favian exclaims. Madame Moreau chuckles.

"I'm kidding, Favi," she says. "Now go disperse. You, too, girls. I know you don't enjoy talking about sewing or watching me," Madame laughs. We do as she says and walk around the mansion. I wind up back in the room Ookami and I are sharing. _What if Naberius comes during the wedding? _I think. I don't know whether I would be thankful that he would be stopping it, or whether I'd be angry he'd try to interfere. After all, this is what he wanted, for me to get married to the Hero of Time. All of this for his own entertainment. A knock at the door stops my train of thoughts.

"Come in," I say absentmindedly. I expect Ookami or Link, but a head of gorgeous dusty brown hair shows up instead. "Get out," I tell Favian. He frowns and walks over to where I'm sitting. "I'll kick your butt," I tell him.

"I just wanted to make up for everything that I've caused you," he says. I stand up, looking at him full in the face, glaring at him. "Miriam, please. I just want another chance with you," he begs. All I see is red.

"That is the _worst_ thing you could have said to me!" I yell. He doesn't back off, though. "I'm going to get married to _Link,_ Favian! Do you not understand that!?" I growl. Favian has wrapped his arm around my waist and drawn me closer while I was yelling at him. I glare at him, still angry as ever.

"Calm down, Miriam," he says quietly. "Link doesn't have to know." _That was _not_ something he should have said to me._

"You idiot!" I cry. "You don't get it, do you?" I snap. "I am engaged to Link. I only want to marry Link. I love Link. I don't like you. I would be glad to be friends, but I don't want you making moves on me every time you see me!" I shout. Favian puts his finger on my lips and smiles at me.

"You're so fiery," he tells me. I roll my eyes at him and try to squirm out of his grasp. He holds tighter to me.

"Let me go!" I yell at him. Someone opens the door.

"Miriam, I heard some yells-" Link stares at us, his mouth wide open. "I will give you three seconds to explain," he says, propping himself against the door. Favian finally lets go of me. I sneer at him.

"We were just kidding around-" Favian starts.

"I meant from Miriam's point of view," Link snarls. I smirk at Favian and sit back on my bed.

"Favian made a move on me. I yelled because he was being a little-"

"No name calling," Link instructs. I frown.

"He was being annoying. That's one thing for sure. Then he mentioned that we would have a chance together, and quite honestly, a bunch of other crap I didn't care to listen to," I growl. Favian sighs. Link has the most frightening look on his face. He advances towards Favian.

"Listen, Favian," he begins. "You have flocks of girls around you at all times. I thought you were pretty intelligent for a player. Most of them are stupid and don't comprehend what girls want. You obviously do, and for that, I congratulate you. But were you _really_ stupid enough to make a move on the one girl that's engaged to _me?"_ Link hisses. Favian's eyes are wide and rather scared. I can't help but let out a giggle. Neither of them seem to notice. "Next time you lay a finger on her, you won't live to tell the tale," Link threatens. Favian nods rapidly. "Now, get _out._" Favian rushes out of the room, closing the door behind him. Link waits until he's all the way down the stairs before he speaks up. "You okay?" he asks.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for saving me," I giggle, hugging him.

"Any time," he says. "Thanks for saying all of that," he says. I cock my head at him.

"What do you mean?" I ask him, taking his hat off again. Link looks down, blushing slightly.

"I listened in a little and heard you talking about how you only wanted to marry me," he smiles. "That kind of made my day." I can't help but blush right along with him.

"Th-that was… I just…" I can't get any of the words out. Why does this only happen when I'm around Link? Whenever I'm fighting, I can think of the right words to tell them. But whenever I'm around Link, my heart beats so loudly I can't think, and my tongue gets tied. Link doesn't seem to mind, though, because he wraps his arm around my waist and touches my cheek. I turn even redder.

"Thanks, Miriam," he whispers. I nod, not able to say anything. I think about getting away from him-I want to squirm out of his arms. But he looks into my eyes, paralyzing me. I stare at his blue eyes and feel really really warm. I finally speak up.

"Link, are we really getting married?" I ask him. He looks at me, confused. "I mean, it doesn't seem like it. It's like a dream to me," I tell him. Link nods, considering it.

"We are. If there's anything wrong with that…"

"No. There's nothing wrong with that," I tell him, our noses touching. I smile at him. "It's just so weird that it's happening to us. Don't you think?" I ask him. Link nods, making our noses rub together. I giggle. The door opens again.

"You two were Eskimo kissing!" Ookami exclaims. I instantly distance myself from Link, though he keeps his arm around my waist. I can't help but blush.

"What's that?" Link asks Ookami. He doesn't seem to be phased by her. Ookami smirks.

"It's when you rub your noses together. There's Eskimo kissing and butterfly kissing and just plain kissing," she explains. I look at her strangely. Why does she know this?

"Butterfly kissing…?"

"You blink your eyes a lot right next to each other so your eyelashes hit each other," the blonde says. I stare at her.

"Why in the name of Din do you know this?" I ask her. She shrugs.

"It's just something from my world that we do a lot of. It's strange, I know, but it's sweet," she says. I sit down on the bed once again, Link sitting next to me. "So do you guys have a date planned?" Ookami asks. I shake my head.

"Not yet, no. We need to get everything together before that," I point out. "And something always comes up anyhow." We sit in the room for a while, when yet another knock on the door sounds. Lark walks in. "Heyo, brother," I say, yawning. He sits next to Ookami.

"What now?" he asks. "I saw Favian run out of the mansion as quickly as he could."

"Link scared him off," I smirk. "How about you two? When is your date?"

"Same as you. We have no clue," Ookami giggles. Lark kisses her on the head. "But we'll probably have ours after yours. What are we going to do about living arrangements…?" Ookami asks. Link and I instantly shrug, not knowing.

"We could just move to my house in the Lost Woods," Lark says. I shake my head.

"No, you have to stay close," I tell him. "If anything happens, I want you two nearby. We'll handle this later," I murmur, standing up with Link. "I'm going to help with Madame Moreau," I tell them. I leave them alone and walk down the stairs. The sounds of voices make me dash behind a chair in the hallway. I listen closely, praying that I'm as silent as my Sheikah ancestors.

"So you want to go to the square?" Favian's voice asks. I roll my eyes. He just got his butt kicked by Link, and he's already out pestering some poor girl. I listen to hear who the naïve girl is this time.

"Sure thing!" Malon giggles. I frown. Malon and Favian make a good pair, but it's a bit frightening that they're actually going to try to get along. I stand up straight again, no longer wanting to hear the rest of their conversation. I walk down to where Madame Moreau is still sewing. She looks at me.

"What were all those shouts about?" she asks. I shake my head.

"Just Favian annoying the crap out of me," I tell her, sitting down. Madame Moreau frowns, putting down the dress. I know what's coming next-more questions.

"Do you want me to ground him?" she inquires. I stare at her blankly.

"What…?"

"I'm his grandmother, darling," she chuckles. _It's a small world after all._

"That's, uh… Alarming," I tell her honestly. "Is he working for you?"

"Yes. I don't pay him much, but it's to keep him out of my daughter's hair," she explains. "He's not doing too well. He's been rather hard working, but I always catch him flirting with some girl in his free time." I can't help but let out a giggle.

"Madame, that's going to happen no matter what you do," I snicker. "He's not exactly one to leave a pretty girl alone."

"Well, that I knew," the woman laughs. "But I thought that maybe taking him away from all of that would stop him. He'd be a good server or butler. As long as his master was a man." We talk about Favian a little bit longer, then hear a commotion outside. Edmund the butler crashes in through the front doors. "What is it, Edmund!?" Madame Moreau exclaims, standing up. Link, Lark, and Ookami come rushing down the stairs. Edmund takes a moment to catch his breath.

"Ganondorf is alive… Again…" he pants. All of us stand rigid with shock. _Not him again!_ "He's been spotted in Kokiri. Naberius resurrected him and has people working for him," Edmund says. I stare at him, taking it all in. I scoop up my swords and bags.

"Let's go," I tell the others. "We can talk strategies on the way."

Chapter 31

"What do you think?" I ask the others, sitting under the familiar tree of the meadow. It's the same spot that we stopped the first day we traveled and the same place where I killed Demise. Link sits next to me, Ookami and Lark sitting across from us. Malon is off to the side, taking care of the horses. She dragged Favian along. He's helping her, and their insistent giggling is making me cringe. Botan basks in the sun, flopped on his back with his legs dangling in the air.

"Sounds pretty good to me," Lark says. Ookami frowns.

"We won't be able to have either wedding for a long time," she points out. I shrug.

"I believe that saving Hyrule is a larger priority," I remind her. "And there's a lot to be done before we ever get married. Anyone object to my plan?"

"I don't know how you're going to disguise me," Link speaks up. "I'm kind of the arch enemy of Ganondorf, you know," he says. I shake my head.

"If you go in volunteering as a Sheikah, you can simply wrap your face with cloth like the others. Don't speak, and don't show your face too much," I tell him. "Lark will easily get in since he worked for Ganondorf one time. Ookami can be passed off as a typical Hylian girl, and I'll be passed off as a Sheikah," I explain once again. "Malon and Favian can be themselves." Link shakes his head again.

"I don't like the idea of putting you in the front lines," he says. I give him my best pout.

"Well isn't that sad," I smirk. "Too bad. I've killed Ganondorf once, killed the demon king, and been kidnapped several different times. I think I can handle being my Sheikah self," I tell him. Link scowls, still not liking the idea, obviously. "Now, we really need to get clothes that will suit us," I murmur. "I have some extra clothes in my tree house-a whole bin of things left over from my mother. I didn't really open after I lost my memory. I'm sure there are some things we could use from there," I tell them. We all agree-we're going to my tree house.

»•§•«

"Does this look okay?" I ask them, coming out of my extra room. I feel really natural with all of this on. I've basically taken a lot of my mother's old objects and put them on. She had quite the outfit. A dark, dusty blue skirt. The shorts under it go further than the skirt-down to my knees. They're just a tad bit darker than the skirt. The shirt doesn't really have sleeves, but at least it covers my stomach. It's a plain gray color, and looks well-used. I've tied my hair back into a long, thin ponytail and wrapped white cloth all around my face. I have the same white cloth wrapped around my leg and hands, hiding my Triforce marking. My mother's old dark blue boots fit me perfectly and have a lot of compartments to put my knives into.

"You look just like a Sheikah," Link grins. "Your eyes aren't red, though…" he frowns. I concentrate hard on my demon form, but I can only change into my half-demon form. Ghirahim comes out of my dual swords.

"Let me help with that, Master," he says, waving his white gloved hand in my face. I blink, not feeling any different. "Now your eyes are red."

"You're helpful," I laugh, looking in a mirror. I look exactly like I remember my mother looking like. "Woah…" I mutter.

"You're missing something," Dark Link says. I look over at him. He pulls out some red paint. "The marking of a Sheikah," he explains, dipping his finger in the paint. He swiftly draws it onto my shoulder.

"Thanks," I grin, looking at it.

"You'd better take that off, too," Link says, motioning to my Triforce necklace. I look at him sadly. "If they catch you with it on, it'll be the death of you." He walks over to me and unclasps the necklace, taking it away from me. He puts it on the table.

"You guys had better get changed," I tell them, feeling awkward. "Ookami, there's a dress in there that you should be able to fit into. Link, I believe there's a few clothes left over from earlier…" I mumble. The harder I think about it, the weirder it is. When I was digging through my mother's old chest, I found some clothes for male Sheikahs. I don't understand why there would be anything in there for men, since Eira wouldn't exactly keep anything that would fit guys. She usually wore stuff like the clothing I have on now, as far as I can remember.

"How's this look?" Ookami asks, coming out of the room. I smile at her. She has on one of Saria's old dresses. It's surprisingly not green. It's a pale pink color and fits her perfectly.

"You look great. Pink suits you well," I chuckle. "You need a Hylian name, though."

"You pick it," the blonde says, sitting in a chair across from me.

"Addie?"

"That was my mother's name."

"Felicity?"

"Nah."

"How about Mae?" I ask her. She looks like a Mae. Ookami ponders it, then nods.

"Okay. My Hylian name is Mae," she giggles. The door opens again, and out comes Link in his newly fashioned Sheikah outfit. I've only really seen him in his green Kokiri outfit, so it's a little disturbing to see him in something else. It's seemingly familiar to me, too. He wears a gray cloak with tatters ending around his knees. It has a dark green Sheikah sign on it. It hides his nose and mouth, disguising him except for his bright blue eyes. He wears dark green leggings under that, and cloth around his left hand to hide his Triforce marking.

"You'll have to fix those eyes, but you look like a natural born Sheikah," I tell him, grinning. Ghirahim walks forward and waves his hand in front of Link's face. His eyes turn red. I frown. "I don't like that he has red eyes," I pout.

"Well, I really can't help that, Master," Ghirahim points out. "Either you can have his pretty blue eyes until he dies after being called a traitor, or you cannot see his pretty blue eyes for a while and still have him live." I pick the latter of the two.

"We need Sheikah names," I tell Link. "I named Ookami, now you get to name me." Link thinks long and hard on it.

"How about Senka?" Link suggests. "It means shadow. You're a Sheikah now, and that seems pretty much like a Sheikah name, right?" I ponder it for a while.

"That sounds good," I smile. "Senka… Now you have to get used to calling me Senka," I warn him. "You look like… Rune."

"Rune," Link mumbles, testing it out. "That's perfect," he grins. "Mae, Senka, and Rune. We'd better start heading out. Miriam-er-Senka, you shouldn't speak too much in front of anyone. People will know you by your temper," he warns. I nod.

"Okay, then let's head out," I yawn, letting everyone go out in front of me. After Ookami walks out, I grab my Triforce necklace from the table and wrap it around my wrists, making it look like it's just a simple chain coming from the other cloth. I hide the Triforce part so it's not showing.

"You coming, Miri?" Ookami yells out. I dash out of the tree house, locking the door behind me. "You'd better leave Botan here. And we have to leave Epona back, since everyone knows she's Link's horse. We can take Espio and Geno, but that's it," she says. I nod.

"How are we going to travel?" I ask her.

"I'll hitch a ride with Lark, as usual… You could probably ride with Malon…" she murmurs.

"I'll use my wolf form," Link suggests. "Miriam can use her demon form to ride on me like Midna used to. Malon can ride on her own," he says. I nod, concentrating on my demon form. I'm quickly transformed into a cat. _Kill all…_

"Let's go," I tell them telepathically. We start to travel, though it's kind of uncomfortable for me. Link's not exactly a steady runner. I hold tight with claws, though he complains loudly.

»•§•«

"Wake up, Miriam," Link whispers quietly. I wake up, my demon voice screaming at me. Link stares back at me, his eyes red and unfamiliar. He holds me in his arms easily, since I'm in cat form. I close my eyes and transform back into my human form, still awkwardly lying in Link's arms. "We're here," he murmurs. I nod, standing up on my own. I check my cloth, making sure it's still covering my face, hands, and leg.

"You look great," I tell him. "Remember, we're supposed to be engaged Sheikah, by the name of Rune and Senka. We do not know our parents, and we're rather quiet," I say, running over our made-up backstories. Ookami squirms awkwardly. "What's wrong?" I ask her.

"I don't know when I'll see everyone next…" she murmurs. "Malon and I will see each other a lot, but what about Lark and you and Link?" Ookami points out. I frown.

"I'm sure we'll see each other a lot," I tell her, though I highly doubt it. "You'll see Malon and Favian. You won't be alone." I look at Lark, who, despite trying to look brave, is looking rather pained. "It's fine, Lark. Just don't let them control you. Find out as much as you can and when it's safe, go to the tree house. We'll find a way to contact each other," I instruct. Ookami's already crying, and Malon is on the verge of tears. I look around. "Come on, guys! We've beat death before, and we can just do it again!" I urge.

"Yes, but this time, we won't be together," Malon points out. I put my hands on my hips.

"Do you really have to be such a downer?" I say, unamused. "Now let's hug each other, say good-bye, and leave. It'll be easier that way." I hug Malon, Favian, and then Lark. (He tells me to keep Ookami safe, though it'll be kind of hard since she's a Hylian and I'm a Sheikah.) I tackle Ookami. "Be careful, okay?" I tell her. She nods, still tearing up. "Don't do anything stupid, and don't trust anyone. You are not allowed to tell anyone about your life, no matter how convincing their story is."

"I know, Miriam. Don't distance yourself from Link, okay? And make sure to stay safe!" she says. I hug her tightly and wish her good-bye, trying not to cry myself.

"Ready to go?" Link asks, holding his hand out. I nod, taking it. He leads me into Kakariko, where there seems to be some kind of sign-up system. We get in the line for Sheikahs. A Hylian man who is clearly possessed by a demon greets me.

"Name."

"Senka," I tell him.

"Race."

"Sheikah," I say, and on and on. He asks eye color, hair color, age, height, weight, and several other questions.

"What kind of job would you be comfortable doing?" he asks. I cock my head at him. The possessed Hylian man frowns at me. "If you can bandage wounds or stop bleeding, you're a healer. If you can fight, you're a soldier. If you can hunt, you're a hunter. If you can do magic, you're a mage. Do I really need to go on?"

"I'm a healer, I suppose, though I can be a soldier," I say decisively.

"Healer it is," the Hylian man says. He lets me pass through and into a group of others, where Link stands.

"What are you?" I whisper.

"Soldier. You?" he murmurs back.

"Healer," I tell him. The guide at the front of the group leads us through the graveyard of Kakariko. It's sad to see what the town has become. Instead of being able to chase cuccos and play with the kids, it's become one giant camp for evil.

"You are the Sheikah," the tour guide says. "You live in tunnels under the Kakariko graveyard. Our main goal is to destroy all Triforce members, other than the holder of power, Ganondorf. This includes the center, the Triforce of Balance-" Well that's pleasant "-their human names are Miriam, Link, and Zelda. Only defeat the dark forms if they refuse to join us," the guide tells us. Well that's at least good news to Lark. He starts to push a grave aside. "Go down, and you will receive your first assignment." Link and I look over the hole that's left in the ground. There's nothing but some stairs there, and then it's so dark that you can't see. Others begin to step down, like they've been doing this their whole life. They probably have been doing this their entire life.

"You ready?" Link asks. I nod, unsure.

"Ready as I'll ever be," I whisper. He takes a hold of my hand, and we walk down the stairs into the Sheikah Caves.

Chapter 31

The first thing I learn is that the caves are very, very cool. I like it down here, since it's cold and dark. The tour guide vaguely shows us around, and then sticks Link and me in a room with four beds and tells us that dinner will be soon. I sit down on one bed, wondering who will have the other two. Link sits next to me, not really saying much. I hide my Triforce necklace further into the white cloth on my arm. I put my bags down and lean against him.

"Here goes nothing, _Rune,"_ I say, my voice slightly muffled by the cloth over my mouth.

"Just get the job done and we'll get out of here, _Senka," _he says back. I look at him. It's a little disturbing not to see him in his usual green clothing with his hat and his blue eyes. Now he has red eyes and a Sheikah outfit on. "And after all of this is done and over with, we can get married, and we can have a happy life," he whispers. I nod, still putting my head against him. The door creaks open slowly, and two timid Sheikah come in. I recognize one as Sheik from when we met Princess Zelda. The other is seemingly familiar, but I don't think I've ever seen him before.

"Hello," I say to the unknown Sheikah. He wears all blue, much like me, but his isn't royal blue. It's a dusty blue with lighter blue trim. He doesn't wear a lot of cloth like most Sheikahs. Nor does he cover his face much. He carries a sword, sheathed at his belt. He looks over at me, staring rather wildly. I stare back. He has green eyes and black hair that mostly covers his eyes. _Is he even a Sheikah?_ I ask myself. In a way, it's like looking into a mirror. He has all the facial features that I do. Even his eyes look like mine. It must be the fact that we're both Sheikah.

"Hey," Sheik says. He seems to be looking at us strangely-like he recognizes us. _Is Sheik working for Ganondorf now…? _

"What are your names?" I ask them, standing up. Link stands up next to me, keeping close. The unknown Sheikah says nothing-he doesn't really even acknowledge us. He simply sits on the bed at the furthest end of the room. Sheik, on the other hand, walks closer, a little friendlier.

"I'm Sheik, and this is Micah. He's had a rough day," Sheik explains quietly. "He's had a rough _life,"_ he rephrases. "He's not really talkative, but he's got a good heart, though it doesn't seem like it at times."

"Well, at least he's got a good heart," I point out. "I suppose we'll be roommates. I'm Senka, and this is my fiancé, Rune," I tell him. Sheik smiles with his eyes, since we can't see his mouth.

"It is nice to meet you both. Dinner is soon, and I'll show you around then. I'll show you who to avoid and who to befriend," Sheik grins. "I've been here for a while now," he says.

"Thanks for showing us around," Link says. Sheik's expression changes when he hears Link's voice. He starts to say something.

"Later," I mutter. He looks over at me, his face hit with realization. "Let's go to dinner now," I say, grabbing his wrist. I send Link and Sheik out the door, and I stick my head back in, looking at Micah. "You coming with us?" I ask him. He stands up, still saying nothing, and follows us out. Sheik leads us into a large cavern, where everyone sits on the floor. He tosses us some bread and mysterious meat. We find a spot together. Micah sits in a corner far away.

"This is the meeting room," Sheik starts. "We're here for meals, meetings, and whatever other things happen. There aren't too many of us left, but our population hasn't been nearly as small as it used to be. This is a nice hang out place, as well. Even though Ganondorf is back, we've been pretty much left to ourselves. You two will start patrols and training tomorrow," he tells us. "Although, with the way things have been lately, we'll probably need more patrols. You may even get your first assignment tonight."

"Really?" I ask. "Cool. What are the assignments usually?"

"They're usually just hunting or patrols, but once you get high enough up, they'll lead you in battle. At least that's the way it's been for the past week or so," he says. I nod, taking it all in. A tall Sheikah woman walks into the room, and everyone falls silent. "That's Zahara, the lead of Ganondorf's Sheikah group. She assigns the patrols," Sheik whispers. Zahara's black hair is pulled into a high ponytail, but still reaches her waist. She wears rags and cloth, like every Sheikah, though she does not wear any around her face. Zahara stops in front of us, looking down.

"These must be new people. I haven't seen them around," she comments. _It's still silent._ "You two," she says, pointing to Link and I, "will go on a patrol now." We get up, following her out. I cast Sheik a worried glance, but he gives us a thumbs up. We follow her along the twisting turns of the giant caves. She leads us up the steps, moving the grave, and out into the light. It's blinding, though it's sunset. "Run a patrol around the area. Go around the village and behind the graves into the forest," she instructs. "Got it?" We both nod. She leaves us, covering the grave again. Link and I look at each other and shrug, starting to walk out of the graveyard.

"That was… interesting…" I comment. Link nods.

"Do you think Sheik is really working for Ganondorf?" he asks. I look down, walking along the springs. I let my boots get a little wet as I kick up the water. It's funny that only a few weeks ago, Link was teaching me how to swim here. I pray that Midna figures out that we're in trouble and comes back. She'd be a lot of help around now.

"I think he knows that Ganondorf isn't for the greater good. He knows who we are, and he hasn't threatened us yet. I believe maybe he really is like us," I murmur.

"You have a point there," Link says. We don't really talk much, just walk around, patrolling the area like we're supposed to. We finally make it to the woods behind the graveyard. "This place is pretty big," Link sighs. I nod.

"Careful not to get lost in them."

"We can't get lost in the Lost Woods, let alone these," he points out. We walk a bit further into the woods. I lean against a tree, resting. I put my dual swords down behind the tree, so Ghirahim can't see me. Link stands next to me. "I think we may be lost…" he admits quietly. It's getting darker faster and faster, too.

"Well, I hate saying it, but I told you so," I giggle. Link rotates himself so he's standing in front of me, his arms propping him against the tree. I stare at him blankly. "Our lives are so messed up," I sigh.

"How so?" he asks. I put my arms around his shoulders and pull the hood of his Sheikah outfit down so I can see his face. He does the same to the cloth around my face.

"How do you think? We're engaged and everything, but things keep coming up," I grumble. I look at him full in the face, though it's weird to look into his red eyes.

"So?" he asks, frowning.

"What if we weren't meant to get married?" I blurt out. Link's frown depends. He raises my chin with his hand and kisses me. I hate it when he surprises me like that. I turn frozen, my heart skips quickly, and I start to feel weak. Link leans back.

"Tell me we aren't meant to be married," he says. I turn bright red. I wrap the cloth around my face again and put Link's hood back on. Link freezes suddenly, though, his face filled with alertness.

"What is it?" I ask him. He hushes me. "Link, what's going-" he cuts me off by spinning me around, his hand over my mouth. I frown. This does _not_ seem right. We stay rigid behind the tree-perfectly silent. He lets go of my mouth and leans over, looking around the tree. "What?" I whisper softly. Link creeps from behind the tree, motioning for me to follow. I look out from behind the tree, spotting someone in white. They seem rather small, as well. "Is that a child…?" I ask him. Link shrugs.

"Looks like it," he says quietly. The child stumbles for a moment, and then falls. Before I realize it, I'm running to the kid's side. "Wait!" Link yells. I reach the child, though. It's a little girl. For the second time today, I feel like I'm looking into a mirror. This one's from the past, though. The girl has long brown hair that goes past her waist-like mine. Her face looks like mine, and she seems to be the same complexion and build as me. The girl's eyes flutter open. They're green, just like mine. She lets out a yawn-the cutest thing I've ever seen.

"Hey, kiddo," I whisper. She sits up more, staring at Link and I. "What's your name?" I ask her. She stares at us blankly again. "Can you speak?" I ask her. She continues staring at us. "That's alright. Come on, let's get you back to camp and see what's the matter," I tell her.

"You can't just bring a child into the camp!" Link exclaims. I glare at him, picking up the girl with ease. She wraps her short little arms around my neck and straddles my hip with her legs.

"What? We're supposed to leave her here in the forest?" I snap.

"Well it'd be safer than the fort that's guarded with _Ganondorf's_ people who are after us," he points out.  
"What do you think?" I ask the little girl. She's already asleep. "Let's go," I tell him. Link has no argument, since he knows we can't leave her in the forest alone, so he simply follows us. "How are we going to tell Zahara and the others?" I question.

"You wanted to bring her back-not me," Link reminds me. I give him a good punch in the arm. "We could just tell them the truth. We found her in the woods and we couldn't leave her there."

"Alright. But if your plan doesn't work out, it's your fault," I tease, holding tight to the little girl. I can hear a little whistle come out of her nose when she breathes out. It makes me smile and hold tighter. We finally make it back to the graveyard and quickly push the stone back. Link goes in first, and I follow, putting the stone back carefully. Zahara stands at the bottom of the entrance, waiting for us.

"What is _that?"_ she snarls, motioning to the little girl. I turn the girl away from Zahara from instinct.

"We found her in the forest," Link explains. "We couldn't just leave her there."

"Well you can't just bring her here," Zahara spits.

"We'll take care of her!" I beg. "She doesn't have anywhere else to go." Zahara frowns at us deeply. Her eyes pierce us in a way that's a little frightening.

"Fine," she smirks. "But you have to find food for her. There's no way we're spending our food storage on that brat. She's useless."

"Fine."

"And if she causes any disturbances, I'll make sure to personally deal with her."

"You don't mean you'd kill her, do you?" I hiss, my anger building.

"Yes, I would," Zahara snaps. She walks away, leaving us to tend to the little girl. Coincidently, the girl decides to finally wake up.

"Did you have a nice nap?" I ask her. She nods happily. A group of Sheikahs pass us, spotting the child.

"Is that your daughter?" one of the girls asks. I blush.

"N-no. I just found her, actually," I laugh. The girl squirms out of my arms and walks towards the group of Sheikah. One of the guys chuckles at her when she pulls at his robes.

"Go back to your mommy," he says, pushing her towards me.

"I'm not her mother…" I murmur for the second time. The child looks up at me with her arms outstretched.

"You look a lot like her," one of the Sheikah point out.

"But I'm not…" I say timidly. I look over at her, her green eyes staring up at me.

"Momma," she says quietly. She turns to Link. "Daddy."

"N-no, honey, that's not right," I say hurriedly. She frowns.

"Momma!" she says louder, jumping up at me, trying to get me to pick her up. I shake my head.

"I'm not Mommy," I tell her. Her frown deepens.

"Mommy," she says. I sigh, picking her up. She giggles happily. "Momma!" I let out a groan. "Dadda," she says, squirming towards Link. He shakes his head.

"No, I'm not Dadda," he says. I hand her over to him.

"Just go with it," I say, tired of arguing with a girl whose only words are 'momma' and 'dadda'.

"Alright, kiddo," Link chuckles. "I'm Dadda, and this is Momma."

Chapter 32

We sit in the room we share with Micah and Sheik, going over what we're going to do. The little look-alike doesn't speak much, and she seems perfectly content with doing whatever we want her to do.

"What should we name her?" Link asks me. I stare at her intently.

"Ai," I say. "It means love."

"That's a good name for her…" Link agrees. He kneels in front of our little girl. "Hey there, Ai," he smiles. Ai looks up at him and smiles.

"Dadda," she says, arms outstretched. Link picks her up and she holds tight to his neck, careful not to fall. Link smiles and holds onto her.

"What are we going to do with her all day?" he asks. I sigh, thinking about it.

"We could bring her to training with us. Or… There are elder Sheikah here, right?" I point out. He seems to understand my not-so-subtle suggestion.

"I'm sure they could watch her," he agrees. The door cracks back open again, and in walks Micah and Sheik. Ai squirms out of Link's arms and stumbles over to Micah.

"Uncle," she says. Micah stares at her blankly. I run over to her, starting to pick her up. Micah holds up his hand, stopping me.

"She's fine," he chuckles, bending over to meet her eye. She hugs him tightly. He hugs her back. Sheik is in total shock.

"You…" Sheik coughs. "You have a _kid?"_ he stutters. I grin, look at Link, and explain to Sheik about how I was pregnant as a young teenager. And yes, it is Link's child. Sheik's face turns sheet-white, and Link is literally rolling on the ground with laughter. Sheik catches on and narrows his eyes at us. "That wasn't funny," he growls.

"That was _so_ funny," Micah speaks up, still holding Ai.

"Oh, and _now_ you choose to talk," Sheik grumbles. "So anyway, why did she call you uncle?" he asks. Link, Micah, and I all shrug.

"I don't have any clue," I tell him. "I've never met Micah in my life."

"Never met them," Micah says bluntly. "She's probably just a little confused," he says, handing her over to me. I hold her securely. Ai is asleep in an instant.

"You're pretty good with kids," Link chuckles. I glare at him.

"I'm really not…" I mumble. He grins at me, not really saying anything. "I guess she'll be sleeping next to me tonight," I say quietly. Link nods, sitting on his bed and taking off his boots. I set Ai down, covering her with the blanket, and take off my boots, curling up under the covers. It's been a long, long day.

»•§•«

"You're staying here," I tell Ai, placing her next to the elder Sheikah. She looks at me, her eyes wide with shock.

"Momma…" she cries. I hug her.

"It's alright," I tell her. One of the elder Sheikah stares at me.

"Eira…" she murmurs. I stare at her blankly. Maybe I was imagining her saying that. Link looks at me, equally confused.

"Excuse me?" I say.

"Eira…" the woman says again. "I haven't seen you in ages. Do you remember me?"

"I-I'm sorry, ma'am-" Link starts. I cut him off.

"You knew Eira?" I ask her. The woman laughs.

"Yes, I knew you," she chuckles. Ai shakes her head and sits next to another elder Sheikah man. He begins to tell her a story.

"I'm her daughter," I explain. "My name is-it's Senka."

"I recall her daughter's name as Miriam…" the woman mutters. I cough, hiding my surprise. "She had a son, too. An older one." _What._ Link has the exact same look on his face as I do.

"Do you know his name?" I ask quickly. She shakes her head.

"No. I believe he is fully Sheikah, though. If I remember correctly, he has dark hair," she comments. I hug the woman.

"Thank you, ma'am!" I exclaim. I start to run off to who knows where, but Link pulls me back.

"We've got training, remember?" he laughs. I nod, happier than ever. _I've got a big brother! But who?_ "Senka, we'll figure out who it is later," Link remarks, dragging me away.

"Thank you!" I tell the woman. She waves her hand and chuckles. Link drags me down cavern after cavern. "How do you know this place so well?" I ask him.

"I don't. Sheik wrote the directions on a paper," he says, holding it up. I nod, not really paying much attention. Finally, we make it to a better-lit, larger cavern. Several Sheikah have already begun training.

"They seem really good…" I murmur, hiding myself behind Link.

"They're only good with knives and spears," he points out, motioning to two Sheikah struggling with swords. We walk next to them, both picking up a wooden sword. We spar and parry as usual, concentrated on nothing but our moves. The world melts away-nothing else exists except for my swordfight. I scoop up another wooden sword and go duel-handed.

"What are you two doing?" a voice asks. I snap out of the trance after ducking from an attack. Zahara stares at us, her red eyes glowing. She flips her black hair behind her shoulder. "You're supposed to report to me before practice."

"I'm sorry," I say sarcastically, angered that she would stop us. "I didn't know that you took over the training grounds, too." Link touches my shoulder, telling me to back off.

"I'm sorry, Zahara. It won't happen again," he apologizes, giving me a quick look of anger. "We tend to work better with a sword, that's all." Zahara seems to consider this.

"If one of you two can beat me in a fair dual, then you can skip straight to fighting real people," she decides. _I don't want to kill innocent people…_ "Now, you first, Rune." I stand off to the side, waiting for Link to kick Zahara's butt. As soon as they start, however, I know something's off. Link's letting Zahara get the lead. He's stepping in the wrong places and isn't covering his torso with his shield like he should. _He's letting her win on purpose so we don't have to kill innocents._ I don't want to lose to Zahara, but it looks like I'll have to.

"Go, Rune!" I cheer. He flashes me a grin and suddenly switches fighting styles. Now he's winning. _Maybe he changed his mind. Or he's just showing off._ Soon, he has Zahara pinned to the ground.

"Give up?" he asks her.

"A Sheikah never gives up, but in this case, you could have killed me by now. So I will accept this loss," she says. He backs up, and she jumps up in one smooth move. "Your turn, Senka," she says. I nod. Link passes me.

"Win," he whispers in my ear. It shouldn't be too hard to win, considering I always dual with the Hero of Time. Zahara attacks first, but she quickly learns from her mistake. I stab at her arm, not injuring her, but just enough so she knows I've gotten her. She refrains from using that arm, and we continue our fight. It goes on for a while. Not because I can't beat her, but because I don't feel like letting it end.

"You're good," Zahara pants, missing my head by an inch.

"I'm even better with duel swords," I tell her.

"Let's try it," she says, tossing me one. I love the familiar feeling of it. She takes another sword, though it's obvious she's not used to it. I try to go easy, but it's sort of hard, since Zahara is tired, inexperienced, and rather distracted. It's clear her concentration is not on the swords in front of her. A second later, I'm standing over the top of her. "Great job," she remarks, hopping back up. "You're both moved to the front lines. I would be ashamed not to have you go. Pack up your things."

"What about Ai?" I ask her, putting the swords back.

"Who?"

"The little girl," I tell her. Zahara sighs, thinking about it.

"Can't Micah or Sheik take care of her?" she grumbles.

"No," I say bluntly. "Ai considers us her mother and father. If we leave her now, she'll become confused," I point out. "At any rate, do you really need us at the front lines? Can't we stay here and train?"

"I suppose you could," Zahara murmurs. "But there's nothing else for you to learn. You've clearly conquered the art of swordsmanship."

"I really suck at archery," I tell her. "And Rune could work on his throwing knife ability."

"Alright, you can stay," the Sheikah leader mutters. "But if they need anyone near the front lines, it'll be you two. I can't think of anyone better to send to battle the members of the Triforce." _Oh the irony…_ I think. Good thing she can't see my smile under my cloths. "Now go back to your rooms. You're probably tired."

"Not in the slightest, actually," I tell her cheerfully. Zahara allows us to stay for a while longer. Link and I mostly dual against each other. He keeps tripping over his Sheikah outfit, but there's no way to fix that. Finally, it's noon. I think. Since I haven't been above ground, I really can't see the sun, and it's throwing off my timing. "Lunch time!" I grin, dragging Link through the caverns again.

"Slow down there, Senka," he chuckles.

"I'm hungry," I whine. "So let's go." We finally make it to the main hall and sit down next to Sheik. He hands us some food.

"Hey, how was training?" Sheik asks. Ai joins us.

"We, uh, are allowed to stay here until the front lines need help," Link/Rune says. Sheik's eyes widen.

"That's a little frightening…" he murmurs. "I'm on that list, too, but if they find out who you really are…" I nod. In the whole scheme of things, I had almost forgotten that Link and I are members of the Triforce and actually the people we would be 'fighting' against. "Well, as long as you don't reveal yourself, you should be okay," Sheik comforts.

"We'd better take precaution, though," Link mumbles. "We can't have anyone having any clue as to who we are."

"We can't take much more precaution than this," I remind Link. "We've covered our faces and even changed our eye color. There's not much more to do."

"Momma," Ai whines.

"What is it, honey?" I ask her, my voice immediately changing from intense to soft.

"You have to hide your Triforce," she says. That's the first sentence she's spoken to us. Somehow, I doubt Ai is your typical child.

"How did you know about that…?" I ask her, frowning. Ai shakes her head.

"It's on your hands. Looky, Momma. I can hide it," she says, extending her hand towards mine. A flash of white light appears on the back of my hand. I gently unwrap the cloth around it, and realize that there's no more Triforce.

"H-how did you do that, Ai?" Ai lets out a giggle at me.

"I've always been able to do it." Ai speaking full sentences is kind of shocking.

"Really?" I wonder out loud. "Well, you're a pretty talented kid, Ai." She smiles happily. "Ai, do you know if I have any family members?"

"Senka!" Link growls. I know I probably shouldn't be asking her this, but it's been burning in my head for a while. "Don't answer her, Ai. You're not supposed to know in the first place, Senka." I hate it when Link is right. But for once, I want to stop saving the world and actually figure who my family is. Ai laughs, like it's the funniest thing in the world.

"I thought you already knew, Momma!" she giggles. I frown.

"What do you mean?" I ask her. Link is trying to tell me to stop, but it's really going in one ear and out the other at this point.

"Uncle Micah."

Chapter 33

"M-Micah is her b-brother!?" Link exclaims. Ai nods persistently. Link looks at me, then Micah, who sits quietly in the corner of the room. _That's my brother,_ I tell myself. I smile at him and wave. He stares at us, not speaking, but waves back. "You two do look alike," Link comments. I smile, still in a daze. I turn to Ai.

"But my mother-er-your grandmother… Who was Micah's dad?" I ask Ai. She shrugs unknowingly. I get up, shaking off any dirt.

"Where are you going?" Link questions. I smirk at him.

"To go talk to my brother," I tell him. I leave Ai, Link, and Sheik and walk right up to Micah. He stares at me blankly.

"What are you doing here?" he asks. His voice is deep, low, and nothing like mine.

"How are you, _brother?"_ I ask him. Micah doesn't get it. He cocks his head. I take a deep breath. "We're brother and sister. Nice to meet you."

"That-what?" he looks utterly shocked. His green eyes have a very confused expression. "This isn't funny," he says bluntly. I frown.

"Look, Micah. Let me prove it. Do I not look like Eira, our mother?" I ask him, standing up. I twirl around in a circle, showing him our mother's outfit. I show him the fact that my hair is just like Eira's. Not to mention that my face looks like her, too. "We must have different fathers, but Eira is our mother, whether you like it or not." Micah looks totally shocked.

"When did you learn this?" he asks.

"Just now. Ai told me."

"Hold on just a moment," Micah grumbles, sitting up. He thinks it over for a moment. Then, he leans closer to me, making sure that I'm the only one who can hear his words. "What's your real name?" he whispers.

"It's not safe to tell you here," I tell him quietly. He nods.

"You're engaged, right?" he asks. I don't see where this is going, but I nod. "And your daughter is Ai?" I scratch my head.

"N-not exactly…"

"Excuse me while I go beat up that-" (he says some very nasty, colorful words in an array of languages) "-fiancé of yours." Micah stands up, dusting himself off.

"No! It's not like that!" I tell him. Link, Ai, and Sheik have already returned to our room, so we follow them there. Micah slams the door behind us. "M-Micah! While I'm happy that you're concerned, don't you think I would have a good explanation for this!?" I say quickly. Micah ignores every word and pins Link to the wall.

"You had the guts to do that to my little sister?" he sneers. Link's expression would be pretty funny, if the situation had been a little more light hearted. He's holding Link by his neck, causing him to quickly loose air.

"I… Didn't…" Link gasps.

"Stop it, Micah!" I exclaim, tugging at his arms. Ai lets out a shout, and we all turn around to see her. She's crying. Not only that, but her veins are glowing bright blue. They're literally glowing, just like Midna had blue glowing swirls on her. Ai looks like she has streams of water running down her. They gather closely near her heart, and show through her little white dress. "Ai!" I gasp, running to her.

"Momma… Make them stop," she sobs, hugging me. I glare at Link and Micah.

"You made her cry."

"I didn't do anything!" Link argues. Micah shrugs.

"He deserved it."

"We're not Ai's real parents," Link tries to explain. Micah glares at me.

"He's right, Micah," I tell him, still holding Ai. "We found her in the woods yesterday. I honestly have no clue why she looks like me-er-us," I explain. Ai does look like Micah as well, now that I think about it. The three of us look like we could be siblings. Or, more accurately, like I'm the mother and Micah is the uncle. "No need to attack Li-I mean Rune." I look down at Ai, making sure she's okay. She looks much better than before. Her veins aren't glowing as much. They're rather dim and unnoticeable. "Why does she glow?" I ask them. Sheik shrugs, sitting down next to me. I refrain from pointing out the fact that he sits like a girl.

"She could be part Twilight, though she looks more Sheikah and Kokiri…" he says. Micah shakes his head.

"She looks like a Gerudo," he murmurs.

"Definitely Hylian," Link argues. I glance at a very confused Ai. She shrugs and walks over to the corner of the room where we put a few toys from the Sheikah children.

"It doesn't matter what she is," I tell them. "She just needs protection right now." Luckily, they all seem to be in agreement with me.

"Back to training?" Link suggests. He seems to have recovered from Micah's grip on his throat. I nod to him and grab my swords. Ghirahim's voice sounds from it, but I ignore him. Poor Ghirahim hasn't been able to go anywhere since we walked into the Sheikah caves. I put the sheathes on and head out after Link.

»•§•«

After we eat dinner, we immediately go to bed. Link and I are completely worn out and apparently so is Ai. We have to figure out why she glows blue, since I don't want her hurt. I curl up thinking that I'll get a good night's rest. The world clearly doesn't like that, though.

_"Miss me?" a familiar voice says. I don't even bother looking. I know exactly who it is. I let out a long, distressed sigh. _

_ "Not really, no," I tell the Gerudo. I hear a snort that sort of sounds like a pig. I would laugh at my own joke, but Ganondorf continues talking._

_ "You can't defeat me, little witch," he says. I spin around, glaring at him._

_ "Maybe you don't understand," I begin. "You're ruining my perfectly good life. You could easily go live your own life, and I could live mine. Or, better yet, you could stay dead for once." I don't think Ganondorf likes this last comment. His yellow eyes glare at me. I'm no longer afraid of him, though. After going through everything with Naberius, Ganondorf seems like a small wrinkle in my word of troubles. A thought comes to my mind. I was able to use my magic and see Link and the others once, so why wouldn't I be able to do that with Ganondorf? I concentrate hard, but something stops me._

A scream pops my dream like a bubble. My eyes immediately awaken. I instinctively reach out to Ai and touch her. Her veins are glowing bright blue again. She looks unhurt, so I continue glancing around the room. A very large figure stands over Sheik's bed. _Sheik screamed? That was so girly…_ I can't help but think. Link and Micah are already rushing to his side.

"Ghirahim!" I shout. Ghirahim turns around from Sheik, walking over to me.

"She is not who you think," he says. I shake my head.

"_He_ is Sheik. No need to worry," I tell Ghirahim sternly. I look over at Sheik, who is moving as far away from Link as possible.

"Stay back!" Sheik exclaims. "I'm perfectly fine!" I frown. If he's fine, then why is he refusing for Link and Micah to help him? Link reaches out to touch Sheik's arm to comfort him. I don't know what happens next, because I'm sitting on the ground, pain searing through me. Electricity flows through my every corner. My eyes sting and go blurry. I feel like my nails are being ripped out one by one, my hair pulled from my head. The pain stops before I can't take it anymore. I look up. Link and Micah stand over me.

"What was that…?" I ask them. Link looks back at Sheik. The realization hits all of as at the same time. _She's not who you think._ Ghirahim's words echo through my brain. "Is that…?" Ghirahim nods knowingly.

"I told you so," he says. I give him a quick punch in the arm. Sheik frowns.

"Yes, I'm who you think I am," she says quickly. The princess looks rather unhappy about us figuring this out. Link looks slightly disturbed.

"How did you hide the fact that you're a girl…?" he starts to ask. I cut him off.

"It's the middle of the night, I didn't get any sleep, and I have to deal with Ganondorf right now," I tell him. "I don't need to start having Sheik explain this to us. Let's just get it over with in the morning." Link frowns at me.

"What do you mean you have to deal with Ganondorf?" he asks. Ghirahim butts in.

"He forced his way into her dreams again," the demon lord explains. He gets another punch in the arm.

"Let me go injure him at least," I tell Link. "Do you remember when you were looking for me when I left and you were in Hyrule Field? You and Ookami had a Kargaroc was coming in after you ,and it randomly blew up. That was me. I learned how to do that while I was trapped in the castle," I murmur. Link nods, putting his arm on my shoulder.

"Be careful, okay?" he whispers, hugging me slightly. I nod, sitting down on the bed and beginning to concentrate. But with the happenings of today, it's a little tough. I have a brother, Sheik is Zelda, and Ai's veins glow. And on top of that, my brother pretty much wants to kill my fiancé, the Hero of Time. My mind really doesn't feel like focusing on the smelly pig. Link and the others have gone to bed and are already asleep. Ai is fast asleep next to me. Ghirahim still stands in the corner of the room.

"I'm sorry you can't come out of the sword more," I apologize. Ghirahim walks over near me.

"I suppose it's alright for now," Ghirahim sighs. "I'm just used to having an entire palace to myself. It's a little weary being cramped in that sword 24/7," he points out. "But I'm with my master more, so I suppose that is a bit better."

"So you like me more than your other master?" I ask him. Ghirahim shrugs.

"I'm really not alleged to say whether I'm more attached to one or the other. You're my first female master, though. So it's a contrasting experience." In the mix of all those fancy words, I think he said he likes me more than his other masters. I get the feel that that's what he means. I hope that was what he meant.

"Do you trust me?" I ask him out of the blue. Ghirahim turns and faces me, his violet eyes frowning.

"You're my master. Of course I trust you." Ghirahim leans over so his face is close to mine. "And, uh, sorry about the whole bridge incident… I hope you know that it was orders from my old master," he mutters. I frown.

"Ghirahim… Do you remember that we met long, long ago?" I inquire. He doesn't know what I'm talking about. "You killed Eira…" I remind him. Ghirahim's face has a sudden hit of realization. Then, it turns to sadness.

"I'm so sorry about that, Master. Killing is in my blood, and she needed to die. If it makes you feel any better, I was supposed to kill you as well…" This is supposed to make me feel better, but it doesn't. Ghirahim goes on. "I hated your father, Naberius. Honestly, I wanted to kill him instead. But I couldn't. He was higher on the food chain than I was-even all those years ago. Killing is in my blood, Master. And you'll never be able to take it out." Seeing my rather saddened face, Ghirahim smirks suddenly. "Fashion is in my blood, too," he teases. I can't help but giggle.

"Thanks, Ghirahim," I tell him with a yawn. "By the way, is there any way to contact Ookami, Malon, or Lark?" I ask him. He shakes his head, his white hair whipping back and forth.

"I'm only attached to you. I cannot track your friends. Only your enemies," he informs me. I frown.

"Well, I'll try it in the morning. Good night, Ghirahim," I whisper, curling up under the covers next to Ai. Ghirahim's figure disappears with a flash of light into the sword.

"Good night, Master."

Chapter 34

We sit in a circle in the woods early in the morning. We're all advanced in training, so Zahara allowed us to go outside for a while. Micah sits next to me, oddly protective. Link sits on the side, still trying to avoid Micah, but staying close to me. I watch Ai wearily, making sure nothing hurts her. Sheik sits across from us, picking at the grass with her hands.

"We need a plan," she says quietly, yet determinedly. "I can't let my kingdom fall into Ganondorf's hands again."

"Talking like a princess again, I see," Link comments. He seems a little angered that the princess that he had rescued so many times had totally lied to him about her identity. Heck, I don't think it's the identity that bothers him-just the gender change. Sheik ignores him.

"We could gather some of the Sheikah," Micah suggests. "I've lived here my whole life and I know a few people who want to oppose Ganondorf rather than support him. The reason a lot of Sheikah aren't out there fighting is because they aren't completely loyal to him yet. We could easily gather troops this way." I think that's the most I've heard Micah speak.

"I think you're right," I tell him after a moment of consideration. "If we can round up enough troops, we could conquer Ganondorf easier… We'll need all the help we can get. I can try to contact the others and tell them our plan," I suggest. The others seem to agree, and so I close my eyes, concentrating on Dark Link first. He's pretty easy to reach. I'm immediately moved into a large room where he stands in front of several Darknuts, speaking with them. I walk up to him. He seems to be the only one able to see me. Lark turns away from the Darknuts and walks over to a secluded corner in the shadows. I follow him.

"What are you doing here?" he hisses quietly. "You could get caught and blow this entire plot." I wave my hand at him wearily.

"Listen, I've got to contact Ookami and Malon, too, so I'd rather save my magic and make this short," I tell him. "We're gathering troops against Ganondorf. If you've got anyone on the good side, tell them about it. I'll give you more details later," I tell him. Lark nods.

"Now contact Oki," he says. He looks at the ground, blushing. "And, uh, could you…" he stutters. "W-well, never mind."

"What is it Lark?" I sigh. "I don't have all day."

"Could you tell her I love her?" he says quickly. I can't help but grin a little.

"Sure thing," I tell him, slipping out of the illusion. I open my eyes, looking at Link, Ai, Sheik, Ghirahim, and Micah. I don't recall Ghirahim appearing out of the sword, but I ignore this. "I informed Lark. I'm going to try Malon now," I tell them.

"Don't you need to rest?" Ghirahim and Link say simultaneously. They look at each other, shocked. I shake my head, laughing.

"No, I'll probably need a nap after we're done here. Just give me a second," I tell them, closing my eyes again. I feel someone massaging my shoulders. I turn around, staring at Ghirahim. "What are you doing?" I ask him, disturbed.

"I was trying to help you relax," he says merrily. I roll my eyes at him.

"If you want to help me relax, you'll go back into the sword so we're not exposed," I tell him. Now it's Ghirahim's turn to roll his eyes at me. He does as I say, though, and disappears with snap of his fingers. I close my eyes once again and concentrate on the ginger girl that has caused me so many problems. Surprisingly, she comes to me rather easily.

The blinding light of the sun makes me try to block my eyes, but I realize that it doesn't hurt. It's just an illusion, so I suppose pain is an illusion as well. I look around for Malon and find her talking with Favian. I walk over to them. Malon looks up, alarmed.

"What are you doing here!?" she whispers angrily. I shake my head at her. Favian looks extremely confused that Malon is talking to thin air.

"What are you doing?" he asks her.

"I'm talking to Miriam, you twit!"

"He can't see me, Malon," I tell her. "I don't have much time, so shut up and listen." She does as I say. "We're gathering troops against Ganondorf. We'll need your help gathering them. Anyone you trust. Just _please_ don't do anything stupid," I sigh.

"Okay…" she murmurs.

"Bye," I say, opening my eyes. Ai stares at me intensely. I stare back.

"Mommy," she whines quietly, climbing into my lap. I hug her tightly.

"I've got to try to find another friend," I tell her. She nods.

"You're running out of magic, Momma," she says. I frown.

"Well, I still need to find Ookami, so I guess I'll have to waste it on her," I laugh.

"You can use my magic," she says. I look at her, confused. I knew Ai wasn't the average child, but what in the name of Din is she talking about? "Hold onto my hand," she says. I shake my head.

"No, Ai. We can't waste your magic. We're going to have to use mine," I tell her. "And Ookami should be even easier to reach than the other two."

"Just don't wear yourself out too much," Link says. I shake my head at him.

"Fine," I tell him. I shut my eyes again, concentrating on the little blonde girl that I've spent so much time with. It's easy to concentrate on her, but no matter how hard I try, I cannot seem to reach her. I don't feel her presence anywhere in Hyrule. My mind goes to the worst. "I can't find her. Let me ask Malon," I say to them quickly. Once again, I'm transported into a sunny area where Malon is sitting next to Favian. They seem to be taking a break or something.

"What is it?" she asks me. I frown.

"When was the last time you saw Ookami?" I ask her quickly. Malon catches on, her face gaining a worried expression.

"Actually, I haven't seen her since the day we all departed ways," she sighs. I shake my head. "Is something wrong?"

"I can't sense here anywhere," I tell Malon. I feel myself getting a little weak. "I have to go. Bye," I say, waking myself up again. I look at the others. "Malon hasn't seen Ookami since we departed. Let me see if I can sense her again," I murmur. Link starts to protest, but I cut him off. "Don't say anything." I shut my eyes, concentrating hard on Ookami. I can feel the magic slowly draining from me. Her presence isn't coming up anywhere. I begin to feel dizzy but press on. She has to be in Hyrule. Ookami _has_ to be alive. I use one last burst of energy to find her. Everything goes black.

»•§•«

I wake up on the bed of some room. I assume it's the medical wing of the caves. My head really hurts. I begin to sit up, but the world blurs around me and I hit the pillow of the bed again.

"Are you okay?" Micah asks. I look over at his familiar face, my vision clearing. "You passed out in the woods, and so we took you here." He looks really worried. I don't understand why he was so worried about me. I just found out he was my brother yesterday.

"I'm okay," I tell him. "Just a little weak. Got any food?" I ask him. Link comes into my vision, holding out a green apple for me.

"I knew you'd want food," he smirks. I take the apple happily, biting into it.

"Thanks," I mumble between bites.

"You still love green apples, huh?" Micah chuckles. I look at him, confused.

"How would you know that?" I ask him. Micah frowns, scratching his head.

"You were probably too young to remember, but before Mom died, we all lived together in these caves. Even as an infant you liked apples and bacon," he laughs. "Dad used to bring you some when he came back from his patrols."

"Who was he?" I ask.

"Well, he was my father," Micah explains. "He wasn't yours, unfortunately. But we treated him like he was. He was a Sheikah that went by the name of Itzal. He had black hair, unlike a lot of the Sheikah. That's where I got my black hair," he says. "He was loud and talkative, unlike Mom. They were the weirdest couple," he chuckles.

"Wow… I never knew any of this," I sigh happily. Something moves around on the other side of the bed. I look over. Ai is trying to crawl up next to me. Link helps her up. She hugs me tightly.

"Momma!" she squeals.

"Hey, Ai," I smile, sitting up and hugging her back.

"She couldn't wait to see you," Link smiles. "Did you find Ookami?" he asks. My heart sinks into my stomach. I guess my expression says it all. "Couldn't find her, huh…?" I nod. "Maybe she's asleep?" he suggests. I shake my head.

"I doubt it. I still would have been able to feel her presence," I tell him. "She's not in Hyrule," I whisper. Micah picks up Ai and carries her out, giving Link and I some time to talk it over. "Link… What if she's…?" I trail off. Link shakes his head.

"She couldn't be… Could she?" he frowns. I feel my vision getting blurry again, but this time, it's not from passing out. Stupid emotions.

"I don't want to tell Dark Link that we lost her," I remind Link. He nods.

"That would be like murdering the poor guy," Link says.

"He would just throw himself into his work, wouldn't he?" I ask. Link shakes his head.

"No. You don't understand us. He would throw himself into his work, but he would do it until he died," Link explains. I stare at him, surprised. "He's just like me. That's what I would do if you died," he points out. My frown deepens. That's not exactly comforting.

"We can't let him know. And we don't know if she's dead or not, anyway," I murmur. "I just can't track her. I really hope Ganondorf didn't find her…"

"Let's focus on what we're supposed to do right now," Link suggests. "There's no way we can help with Ookami's situation at the moment. Worrying won't help. We're just going to have to trust that she finds a way out alive." He has a point there. I dangle my feet off of the bed and slowly get up. Link holds his arm out to help me, but I refuse it. I'm feeling much better now that I have finished that apple. My magic feels dangerously low, but I can't help that. A good night's sleep should replenish it.

A female Sheikah that wears a lot more cloth than the rest of us (which is saying something) comes up to us. Her eyes are bound by cloth. She's clearly blind. Her white hair is short and her skin is very pale, like most Sheikah.

"You're a healer, aren't you?" she asks. I'm shocked that she knows I'm even here, let alone that I'm a healer. I had totally forgotten that I'm a healer.

"Yes," I tell her.

"Come with me. I need your eyes," she says, dragging me off and around the large cavern. "I can usually feel enough to do most things, but precision has never been my friend," she says.

"Uh… okay?"

"My name is Eve, and you are?"

"I'm Senka," I tell her. I had to think about that first.

"You don't sound very sure of yourself," she comments.

"Excuse me?"

"Your tone of voice and hesitation reveals to me that you are lying." _Well that's comforting,_ I think sarcastically. "Here is the patient. I cannot properly stitch someone, and the other healers are all very busy. Do you mind helping out?" she asks, motioning to the patient. He's unconscious, which is good for me, since he won't be kicking and screaming when I stitch him up.

"Sure thing," I shrug. She hands me the supplies. I carefully bend over the patient's arm and slowly weave the stitches through his skin.

"I haven't really heard you around the medical cavern," Eve comments.

"I've been training with the soldiers lately," I tell her.

"Wise," Eve murmurs. "Need as much protection from Ganondorf as we can get… I mean-" she catches herself but not soon enough. She's on our side.

"I'm on your side," I tell her quietly, finishing up the stitches.

"Really?" she whispers. I nod.

"Rune, Micah, and Sheik are gathering troops against Ganondorf. Gather anyone you can," I tell her, my words nearly silent. "If you have any questions, ask me." I walk away from her, praying she won't tell anyone but her extremely close, trusted friends. She seemed to be pretty hateful towards Ganondorf, though. Link waits for me outside the cavern.

"You done?" he asks casually. I nod.

"Got one on our side," I tell him quietly. Link seems to approve. "This may be easier than I thought."

Chapter 35

I spend most of my time in the medical cavern or talking with Micah about gathering more troops. I rarely see Link, since our schedules are so different. I'm often up in the middle of the night working with patients, and he skips lunch many days, trying to train with the tougher soldiers. Surprisingly, Micah and I have a similar schedule. He works nights as a guard, so we have a few meals together. I haven't seen much of the princess, either. Ai often sits in the corner of the medical cavern, watching me. I tried to make her spend time with the elders so she wouldn't see blood and gore, but she always refuses.

"Hey, sis," Micah says, waving to me. I shake my head at him.

"People really shouldn't know we're brother and sister," I remind him. He shrugs.

"Won't do too much harm. The only people who know about Eira and Naberius are the elders. They're clearly on our side," he points out. "Have you gotten anyone else?" Micah asks quietly. I name off one or two more Sheikah that I got onto our side. It's slow going, but our numbers are rising. The Sheikah have never liked Ganondorf in the first place. I suppose he forced them to join him, because there are a lot of people willing to join us. "It's good that we've got quite a few on our side," Micah remarks.

"And hopefully Dark Link, Malon, and Favian are working on even more," I comment. "I still haven't been able to sense Ookami…" I mutter. Micah pats my back comfortingly.

"I'm sure she'll be okay," he says quietly. Somehow, I doubt it. And if Ookami's not okay, then no one in our little group is okay. And our group is kind of the only hope for defeating Ganondorf and saving Hyrule. So in a way, if Ookami's hurt or dead, Hyrule is pretty much screwed. "After all that you've told me about her, she seems like a really strong girl," he points out. I nod.

Being in the Sheikah caves has had its ups and downs. I have finally found my family and my home. This is the place that my brother and I spent time together. I found Ai, who is more or less my adopted daughter (which still really scares me). Micah tells me all about our mother. I didn't know she had an obsession with green apples, too. She dressed in this exact outfit, walked and talked a lot like me, and had a really close personality. She wasn't half demon, the center of the Triforce, or engaged to the Hero of Time, but we were still really similar.

"Come on, Senka," Micah smiles. "Cheer up for once. You're always so down on yourself."

"I've got to protect my friends," I tell him. "We're really close, and if anything happened to one of them…" I don't like to think of what some of us would do to ourselves. Malon and Favian would be alright, but Link, Dark Link, Midna, and I would all be devastated. Once again, I shake the thoughts away. "Anyway, there are a few patients I have to tend to," I tell him, standing up. "See you later, Micah," I smile. I walk off for the medical cavern. Zahara walks up to me, however, stopping halfway there. "Yes?" I ask her, trying to seem as innocent as possible.

"Senka, I never had the chance to ask you…" she starts, her eyes filled with suspicion. _Oh no…_ "Why did you faint?" _I was just using my powers to contact my friends and rebel against everything you're working towards._

"I, uh, don't really know," I lie. "I probably didn't have enough water. You know how that is." Zahara takes the excuse, though she's still very wary of me.

"Drink more water, Senka. I'll be watching for you," she says. I don't think she meant that she's going to be watching to make sure I drink more water. We need to figure out a way to get done in the Sheikah caves and get _out._ The Sheikah leader walks away, her black ponytail whipping back and forth behind her like a pendulum. I curse at her under my breath. I'm still not done cursing by the time I get to the medical cavern.

"No swearing, Senka," Eve tells me. Her hearing is superior to just about anyone else's in the caves. She turns around, easily maneuvering around a table. Some days I forget she's blind.

"Sorry, Eve," I grumble. "Just frustrated. Anything new?"

"Not since you left ten minutes ago," she says. Eve is always telling me to stop taking up so many extra hours in the medical cavern, but it keeps my mind off of things like Ookami and Ganondorf. I sigh, my breath reflecting off of my cloth and back onto my face. Whenever I do take off the cloth, it feels weird to have my face exposed.

"I like it here. I'm more needed here than I am asleep," I tell her.

"You're not helpful if you're too tired to stitch up patients," she reminds me out. She has a point, but it's not like we have that many patients that have to be stitched up. Most of the time it's a broken bone or a sprained ankle. I walk over to a woman who has been having nausea lately. She gets sick in the morning, but feels fine in the afternoon. It's kind of a mystery to everyone other than the medical people, who already have their suspicions.

"How are you feeling today?" I ask the woman. She shrugs.

"A little nauseous, but okay."

"Good," I murmur. Eve walks over to us.

"She pregnant?" she whispers in my ear.

"Probably," I tell her. Eve reaches out and puts her hand on the woman's stomach. She stands very still for a moment, then smiles.

"It's a boy," she smiles. I stare at Eve, shocked. The woman begins to fall over, but thanks to my Sheikah inheritance, my reflexes are quick. I easily catch her.

"What!?" I exclaim. Eve stares at me, surprised.

"You didn't know I was a seer?"

"I don't think you ever mentioned that," I frown. Eve shrugs.

"There is one blind Sheikah born every time the old seer dies, and the blind one becomes the next seer. The blindness helps us see the future easier," she informs me. I'm rather taken aback by this. The pregnant woman wakes up and stares at eve.

"Eve… Is it true?" the woman asks. _Why does everyone know Eve!?_ I think to myself. _Probably because she's some random famous seer._

"It is what I saw," Eve comments, crossing her pale arms.

"Thanks for telling me earlier, Eve," I say sarcastically.

"No problem," she says back, walking away onto her next patient. The woman continues to stare at me.

"I'm sorry you had to find out that way," I tell her apologetically. "Congratulations, though."

"Th-thanks…" she says, climbing off the medical bed and walking out. I continue my work with the other patients, thinking about Eve, Ganondorf, Lark, Link, Micah, and Ookami. My thoughts swarm around my mind. I'm unable to concentrate on one thought, so I just concentrate on my work.

"You shouldn't work so hard," a familiar voice says. I spin around, but no one's there. I sigh.

"What did I say about talking out?" I hiss to Ghirahim.

"I was bored," he says royally. I can practically see him checking his manicure. My sword spirit is very interesting and my friend, but he gets on my nerves a lot. "And I'm supposed to watch over you. You're not taking care of yourself. You realize I could teleport you to your room, right?"

"But I'm your master, so I could tell you to teleport me back," I remind him.

"You have a point there," he admits. "You really shouldn't work this hard, Master. You have to rest sometime, and it's almost morning." Not like I would know. It's so dark down here all the time. Ghirahim, on the other hand, has some sort of clock or something built in, because he's always telling me what time of day it is. "More healers are going to start coming in, and there's no emergency. Get some rest, Master." I hate it when Ghirahim is right. When Ghirahim says something right, you know that you're doing something totally wrong.

"Fine," I snap. "But you must wake me up in two hours."

"As you wish, Master," he says.

»•§•«

_"Good morning, witch," the pig's voice says. I frown instantly. So much for getting some good, quality sleep. I really want to slap him. _

_ "Will you please just let me _sleep!?"_ I beg him. _

_ "You're not begging for mercy any more…" Ganondorf points out. He seems oddly sad about this. An idea pops into my head. _

_ "Ghirahim!" I yell out. He appears, surprised. _

_ "Yes, Master?" he asks. The fabulous demon lord spots Ganondorf. "Oh, Ganon. Nice to see you again," he says sarcastically._

_ "He's bugging me. It's making me even more tired," I say dramatically._

_ "I really can't help you, since it's his magic. But I can teleport you out," Ghirahim suggests. I shrug. _

_ "You need anything else?" I inquire to Ganondorf. "Because if you're just here to bug me, I'd rather sleep, thank you so very much." _

_ "Pushy witch," Ganondorf snarls. Ghirahim slides his gloved hand into mine and we teleport out with a snap of his fingers and a shatter of diamonds. _

I wake up with Ghirahim staring at me. I quickly roll away from him.

"Do you mind!?" I exclaim. Ghirahim shrugs.

"I just saved you from Ganondorf," he points out.

"No. You let me sleep my problems away by teleporting me out of the dream Ganondorf put me in," I remind him.

"Same thing." I shake my head, ignoring him. The door begins to open, and Ghirahim quickly disappears into the dual swords. Micah walks in.

"You're supposed to be asleep," he says sternly. I frown.

"Why does everyone want me to sleep!?" I growl. "I couldn't sleep. Ganondorf decided to pay me a visit. I guess he can't find me, though. He was able to find me before, but I suppose he can't track me in the caves," I murmur, remembering an earlier conversation with the pig.

"That's a good thing," Micah points out. Ai comes tumbling in, nearly falling on her face. I haven't seen her all week.

"Momma!" she giggles.

"Hey, Ai," I smile, hugging her. "How are you?" I ask her.

"Good," she says quietly, leaning against me and putting her thumb in her mouth. "Daddy was watching me," Ai informs me.

"I know," I laugh. "I told him to watch you." I decided to let Ai have a change of pace instead of sitting in the corner of the medical cavern all the time. I told Link to watch her, so she's had her fill of watching her father train and go on patrols. That's weird. Link is a _father._ I shiver at the thought of this. "What did you do?" I ask her.

"I played," she says vaguely, her mind set on something else. "Momma?"

"Yes?"

"Why aren't you and Daddy married?" How in the name of _Farore_ am I supposed to answer _that!?_

"Well… Uh…" I begin. "We're engaged. Do you know what that means?" Ai shakes her head. I explain to her what it means. "We are planning to get married, but none of our friends are around, and we have to finish saving the world first," I tell her.

"Can I go to your wedding, Mommy?" she asks. I smile.

"Of course you can, Ai," I laugh. "It'll be a long while, though." Ai climbs out of my lap, satisfied with my answer. "Micah," I say, turning to my older brother. "Can you watch Ai for a while? I've got to keep working at the medical caverns." I begin to stand up, but he pushes me back down.

"Go back to sleep, Senka," he says. Normally, I would complain, but I'm too tired. All of this worry and work has gotten me more exhausted than ever.

Chapter 36

My hands are full as I walk down the hall, unable to see what's in front of me. I've been running errands for the medical caverns for quite a while. My legs are tired from scurrying around the caves and carrying heavy, wooden crates. I'm getting a good workout, though, and I'm starting to really learn about these caves.

"I could teleport these for you," Ghirahim says from the sword. I nearly drop the crate I'm holding.

"Stop doing that!" I exclaim, my words echoing down the long halls. I have to remember to be a little quieter around here.

"Master, you'll break your back doing that. Just let me teleport them out," he whines. I frown.

"Sh! Sheikah ears are much more in tune than normal Hylian ears," I hiss.

"And demon ears are much more in tune than Sheikah ears," he says.

"Really?" I say, faking my surprise. "I wonder why they never listen." I hear a quiet little mumble of distaste, but he accepts his defeat and leaves me alone. This isn't the end of my problems, however, because I bump into something that's never been there before and immediately drop the crate. Good thing those are sturdy. "Z-Zahara!" I stutter, unable to move. She looks rather mad.

"Who were you talking to there?" she asks. I don't have an answer for that. "Why does Micah call you his sister? Why are you so good with a sword? Sheikahs don't train in swordsmanship unless they're extremely upper-leveled. Why were there screams in your room a week or two ago? How did you not know that Eve was a seer? Everyone knows about the legend of the seers. Why did you not want to go to the front lines? It's an honor for any Sheikah to do so," she questions. I don't know how to respond to all of this.

"I-Zahara, I mean no disrespect, but-"

"Shush!" she snaps. "I'm onto you, Senka. If Senka is even your real name! You aren't a full bred Sheikah, are you? You may look like a Sheikah, but you do not act like one." I don't know what to say, for once. She stares at me, her red eyes piercing into mine. "I won't let you live if I learn that you are a traitor," she hisses at me, leaving me with my crate. I watch her leave, unsure of my emotions at the moment. Finally, I find one to describe what I'm feeling: panic. I don't know what to do, so I simply pick up the crate and stare blankly into space as I walk down the halls.

"She's got some sass," Ghirahim whispers flamboyantly. I ignore him. Talking to him is one of the things that got me in trouble in the first place. I shake my head, though, a silent way of telling him to shut up. I finally reach the medical caverns, where I nearly drop the crate again. Eve touches my arm.

"Why the panic?" she asks. I sigh.

"We may need to find a way to put the plan into action sooner. Zahara's suspicious," I mumble. Eve nods, acting like she never heard anything.

"Better hurry, then. Zahara isn't the type to wait around," Eve murmurs. She's right. I'll have to tell Micah, Link, and the princess soon. I glance over to where Ai sits, playing with some old Sheikah toys. I walk over to her.

"Mommy, don't worry," she says merrily. I don't know what Ai is, but she certainly isn't your average child. "Just round up the people," she smiles. I hug her and walk back to Eve.

"Be ready to leave after dinner," I tell Eve. She nods understandingly.

"Why don't you take a break, Senka?" she suggests. I nod, knowing what she means. I quickly maneuver my way out of the medical cavern and into the elders' room. I begin spreading the word among the loyal Sheikah, which is quite a lot of people. Soon, most of our group knows about the plan. We're supposed to leave as soon as possible with no stir. The elders and a select few will stay in the caverns to ensure that Zahara won't find us. I walk into the training cavern, hoping to track Link down. I watch him and another Sheikah practice with real swords. I pull out my dual swords and join in. Link hasn't seen me in about a week, and his surprise throws him off balance.

"Heya, Rune," I laugh, easily faking a blow to his heart. He smiles back and continues the fight, the three of us making sure not to hit the other. I recognize the other Sheikah we're fighting as one of the younger ones in our group.

"Why are you here, Senka?" Link asks, ducking a blow from the Sheikah boy.

"That's no way to greet your fiancé that you haven't seen in a week," I tease, hopping in the air before Link chops off my legs. "I'll talk after we're done here," I tell him. We finally finish up our fight. Link won, as usual. I sit next to Link, catching my breath. He doesn't seem the slightest bit tired. He's been training so hard that this is normal for him.

"Out of shape?" he grins.

"Compared to you, just about anyone is," I point out. I look around, lowering my voice carefully. "Zahara's onto me. We have to get moving. We're leaving after dinner," I murmur. Link nods understanding.

"Hey, you know something?" he says. I cock my head at him. "I didn't get to properly greet you," he chuckles, tackling me. I laugh.

"You should be training!" I giggle.

"Show me someone who can beat me, and I'll gladly train harder," Link says, sitting on the ground like he had never tackled me in the first place.

"I'm sure there are a few people in Hyrule that are better than you…" I murmur, though it's clear I'm not confident in my answer.

"You'd better get back to the medical cavern," Link says, his eyes sad. I still find it very odd to be staring into red eyes.

"Do I have to?" I whine, hitting my head into his shoulder. He laughs.

"Yes, you have to," Link says. We both stand up and hug each other. "Love you," he whispers.

"Love you too," I murmur back, letting go. "See you at dinner," I smile, picking up the swords and walking out of the training caverns. It's nearly dinner time, and I can feel the butterflies floating around my stomach. I skip down the halls, pretending that there's nothing going on. I spot Zahara and quickly duck for cover. She passes right by, her ponytail nearly hitting my face. It's a good thing I know a lot about the caverns now. It comes in handy in situations like this. I stand up, running down the halls, my feet making no noise. I'm so happy I'm part Sheikah.

"You're becoming rather trained in these situations," a familiar voice says. I shake my head, not in the mood for more of Ghirahim's conversations. "Rather quick on your feet," he says. I believe that's a real compliment from Ghirahim. "And you and Link are such a cute couple!" he squeals. I reach my arm over my shoulder and whack my sword with the palm of my hand. "Ouch! What was that for!?"

"Being Ghirahim," I growl, hoping no one heard me. No one pops up out of nowhere to kill me, so I assume no one heard my argument with the demon lord. I finally make it to the dining hall, where most other Sheikah sit on the ground, socializing. Quite a few of the Sheikah look up and bow their heads to me. I assume it's out of respect for our alliance or something. I bow my head back and make my way to Zelda and Micah.

"Are the rumors true?" Micah asks immediately.

"Nice to see you, too," I grumble sarcastically. "We're leaving after dinner," I murmur. Several higher ranking Sheikah walk in, including Zahara. Link walks in behind them, sitting with us.

"We've got to get you out of here," Link says immediately. I frown.

"What's wrong?" I ask. He doesn't have time to answer, however, because Zahara claps her hands together. The hall falls deadly silent. "This," he whispers. I frown, not understanding.

"Tonight," Zahara begins. "We have a traitor in our midst." Even though the Sheikah are a quiet people, I suppose they still like to gossip, because little whispers erupt all around the room. She claps for silence again. "Traitors will not survive. May this be a lesson to you all," she growls, walking down the hall. She grows nearer and nearer. The silence is deafening. Only the echo of her feet against the stone floor makes a sound. No one dares to breathe. Finally, she stands next to our group. "This is the traitor," she snarls. In a lightning fast movement, Zahara grabs my wrist and pulls me to the center of the hall. I stand, shocked. Most of the others are shocked as well.

"She's clearly not telling us something. Any guess to who she is?" Zahara sneers. I frown. This isn't going too well. No one is brave enough to answer, so she answers the question herself. "This is Miriam, the center of the Triforce." She grabs the cloth that stays around my head and takes it, revealing my face. She grabs my wrist again and pulls off the cloth, stealing the Triforce necklace I had hidden there so successfully for so long.

"No!" I immediately say out of instinct. That's _my_ necklace that _Link_ made for me.

"Oh? Finally rebelling?" Zahara laughs. "Now let this be a lesson to the rest of you," she roars, kicking the back of my knees, causing me to fall to the ground.

"Momma!" Ai screams. I watch as she squirms out of Link's grasp and runs towards me. Link quickly chases after her.

"I assume your fiancé isn't actually a Sheikah?" the Sheikah leader growls.

"Leave her alone!" Link growls, unsheathing the Master Sword.

"Any last words, _Miriam?"_ Zahara says my name with pure poison. I smirk at her.

"Yes, actually. Let Ai hold my hand. Rune, too," I plead innocently. She allows this-Ai on one side and Link on the other.

"Anything else?" she asks, raising her sword.

"One more thing," I grin. "Ghirahim-TELEPORT!"

»•§•«

My head finally clears, and my vision sharpens. Not surprisingly, Ghirahim stands over me. "Ghirahim, you are the creepiest guy I know," I tell him.

"I'm rather flattered, Master," he grins. "But we must move. You were only out for a few moments. You have to move quickly. I could only teleport the three of you to a short distance away, and I'll be saving my magic for teleporting anyone else." I frown.

"My necklace…"

"You're going to have to deal with losing that," Link says. I'm extremely happy to see that Ghirahim fixed his eyes back to their original bright blue color. I smile at this but scowl once again.

"I have to get it back…" I murmur.

"Miriam, we've got more important matters," Link says. I'm happy to hear him say my name again. While I loved the Sheikah caverns, they came with a few downfalls.

"Is Ai okay?" I ask.

"Momma!" Ai says in response, hugging me. I hug her back.

"Master, we've got to move _now,_" Ghirahim tells me. I look at him. "The Sheikah are coming out, and the way I've calculated it, we've got about three seconds before they come through that grave."

Chapter 37

I immediately reach for Ai, scooping her off the ground. Ghirahim disappears into the sword once again, and Link leads the way. We start running as fast as we can away from the Sheikah caverns. We can hear the shouts behind us of people chasing us. I frown, pushing myself harder. In no time, I'm out of breath. We're in the woods already.

"We can't keep running," I pant to Link. He nods.

"I'll hold them off," he says, stopping and unsheathing the Master Sword. I turn around, stopping in my tracks. Ai holds tightly to me

"You can't hold off that many Sheikah," I tell him. "Come on, we'll have to hide." With my free hand, I grab his wrist and start to run further into the woods. "If we pick up the pace, we'll have time to climb a tree." Link frowns at me.

"This won't work, Meer," he points out. I nearly trip over a root, but he quickly catches me and pulls me back to my feet. We continue running for our lives. "Can you use your magic?" he asks.

"No. I'd have to concentrate," I tell him. He stops, taking Ai from my arms.

"Concentrate," he tells me. I frown, closing my eyes. I can feel Ghirahim lending some of his magic to me. I take Link's gloved hand and hold it tightly.

"Teleport!" I yell. The world flashes around me, even though my eyes are closed. I can feel the light coming through my eyelids. I decide it's probably best to not to pry my eyelids open and blind myself. It's over rather quickly, though. I'm soaking wet and have to swim.

"You really must get used to that, Master," Ghirahim's voice says. I scowl at him, observing my surroundings. We're behind the springs in Kakariko. I look over at Link, who is holding onto Ai.

"Here? Really?" Link teases. I hold back a laugh, looking around carefully. The village has changed a lot. It's still the dusty old town that we used to chase cuccos in and run around in, but much has changed. It used to be unorganized, rather free. Now, it's got a lot of people lined up, marching. Many are training. Everything has its place now.

"How are we supposed to get away?" I ask him. Link looks around for ideas. I take Ai from him and swim near one of the large boulders, peeking out from behind. I look for Malon, but I only find Favian. He looks way different. He used to be lively and happy all the time, but now his eyes look dead and dreary. Link swims next to us. Ai squirms out of my arms. "Ai!" I exclaim quietly. She swims around. I didn't know someone her age could swim so beautifully. She swims around under the water like a fish. Link's expression is the same as mine. Another thing we've found out about Ai.

"How…?" Link starts. I shake my head at him.

"Now isn't the time," I tell him, catching Ai as she swims closer. She bobs her head above the water, smiling happily. She looks almost like a Zora when she swims. "Ai, what are you?" I ask her.

"Everything, Momma!" she giggles, sticking her head back under the water. I pull her back out and hold tight.

"You can swim later, Ai," I tell her. "Let's go this way," I tell Link, motioning to another boulder. We creep behind it carefully, sure not to be seen. "This is bad… We're stuck," I sigh. Link puts his hand on my shoulder, comforting me.

"It should be dark soon. We can go back to the gravesite then. We'll be able to get Micah and Zelda," Link comforts. I keep forgetting that the princess is Sheik. It's still so disturbing. We sit down in the ankle deep water, quietly talking in whispers. He fills me in on everything that's happened in the last week during training. I tell him all about the medical caverns. Finally, the stars come out, and it's clear everyone is in bed. There are few guards on watch, one of them being Favian. He stands guard alone, next to the inn.

"I'll get Favian. You stay here with Ai. We'll meet up outside Kakariko," I tell him. Link agrees. I look up at the stars. It's been a while since I last saw them. Being in the caves has made me crave freedom and no roof over my head.

"Look," Link whispers. "There's Orion's belt." I grin, looking at it. I hug him and Ai goodbye, and I quietly slink away. I get to the inn, pressing my body against the wall of it. I come up behind Favian.

"Favian," I whisper. Favian immediately turns, starting to open his mouth to yell. "No! It's me!" I whisper frantically. He closes his mouth quickly and grins.

"What are you doing here?" he asks.

"Getting out of here. I hope you gathered some more people," I tell him. "We're leaving tonight. Where's Malon?"

"She's inside. I'll get her. Where are we meeting up?" he asks.

"Right outside Kakariko. Link and Ai are there."

"Ai?"

"My daughter," I smirk. He gives me a funny look, but I don't give him a chance to say anything. I walk away quickly, my feet making no sound. I know I'm supposed to meet up with Link and Ai, but I have to get Zelda and Micah out of the caverns… I quickly walk up the path to the graveyard, looking out for anyone who could be standing guard. I find two guards outside the grave. _Oh dear Din._ I have an idea, though. Closing my eyes, I quickly pull my magic to make a noise in the other direction. The guards both run towards the sound that I made, leaving me to slide the grave over.

I quietly walk down the stairs of the Sheikah caverns. My eyes adjust quickly to the darkness, and I'm left to look for Micah and Sheik/Zelda. Several Sheikah pass me, one being Eve. She senses me, pulling me to the side.

"What are you doing here!?" she whispers. "Are you nuts? Zahara's got every soldier out there looking for you!"

"Tell the members of our rebellion to meet outside Kakariko," I murmur, hiding in the shadows. "Where are Micah and Sheik?"

"They're in the dungeons under close watch. Neither of them have been convicted yet, but it's likely that they'll both be executed." Eve has always been rather blunt.

"Thanks," I tell her, slipping away. She shakes her head at me but continues walking down the caverns. I head further into the caves, weaving my way around the endless halls. Finally, I find myself outside the dungeons. _Oh for the love of Nayru! More guards!_

"I'll take care of them," Ghirahim says. Before I can react, the guards sink to the ground, unconscious.

"You didn't kill them, did you!?" I exclaim. Ghirahim laughs.

"Of course not, Master. Nothing to displease you. They'll be out like that for another hour or two," he says merrily.

"Thanks," I whisper, making my way to the dungeon doors. I take the key from a guard and unlock the door, quickly pulling it open.

"Senka!" Micah says.

"It's Miriam, and let's go," I tell him quickly. Sheik and Micah follow me out of the dungeons.

"I know a shortcut out of here," Micah says, taking the lead.

"There are guards," I warn. Micah nods, but says nothing. Finally, we reach the top of the stairs. Micah turns to the princess and me.

"I'll get the one on the left. Sheik, you get the one on the right," Micah instructs. I don't question what he means by that, but in a few moments, he slides the grave open. The guards immediately turn to fight us, one almost crying out. Micah and Sheik are quickly on them, though. The two Sheikah are quickly lying unconscious. I feel kind of bad for them. I recognize them, too.

"Let's go," I say quickly, running through the graveyard. We jump over several tombstones (which I quickly say a prayer to the goddesses that the deceased will forgive me). We reach Kakariko, where we quickly sneak our way around the guards and make our way out of Kakariko. Finally, we reach Favian, Link, Malon, and Ai. I smile involuntarily just by seeing them.

"Miriam!" Link exclaims, hugging me tightly. "Where were you? I thought you were dead!" he exclaims, looking at me sternly. I chuckle.

"I'm fine, I promise," I tell him. _But Ookami may not be. _I want to cry just thinking about the little blonde. "Does anyone know what they did with Dark Link?" I ask. Malon and Favian shake their heads.

"Who are these people?" Favian questions. I introduce him to Zelda and Micah. "Ah, the princess. Nice to meet you," he grins, taking her hand and kissing it. Zelda looks unamused.

"I assume you're Favian?"

"Yes, I am. I see Miriam has mentioned me?"

"No. I just know you're the Castle Town player. Many of my ladies-in-waiting have complained about you." My respect for the princess just skyrocketed. Favian looks crushed. Sheik turns to me. "I assume we wait here until the others arrive as planned?"

"Yes. And stop with your fancy talk," I tell her. I'm really not afraid to tell the princess what to do at this point. I don't think she has a problem with this, either. Several Sheikah begin to gather, along with a few Hylians that Malon and Favian gathered up. Together, there are about twenty to thirty of us. "Is this everyone?" I ask quietly. They look around, nodding. "Does anyone know any place we can get some horses from…?"

"I can go to the ranch!" Malon says cheerily. I hush her.

"Okay. Malon and… This guy," I say, pulling out a Sheikah guy from the crowd. "They'll go to Lon Lon Ranch," I say. "We can cross the Bridge of Eldin and go to the Lost Woods and hide out there," I tell them. Most of them agree. It'll take longer without horses, but we get started on our journey. "Everyone make sure you keep your weapons at the ready in case there are Bulblins," I instruct.

"You make a good leader," Link teases. I stick my tongue out at him. We continue walking across the field. The Hylians are less sneaky than the Sheikah, and they make quite a bit of noise. We pass over the Bridge of Eldin easily, though. Ghirahim comes out of my sword, scaring the crap out of everyone.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!?" Micah exclaims, withdrawing his sword.

"It's not _what,_ Micah. It's _who,_" Ghirahim laughs. He bounds over to Micah, taking his sword and examining it. "Tsk, tsk… You should get this sharpened, you know," he says, throwing it back to my brother. Micah barely catches it without getting hurt.

"Don't terrorize my brother, Ghirahim," I say, though it's hard not to laugh.

"No promises," Ghirahim smirks. "Remember this place, Master?" the sword spirit smirks. I groan.

"Yes. I do remember this place."

"Yeah… Sorry for pushing you off the bridge," he says. Apparently Zelda hadn't caught sight of the fabulous demon lord yet, because she turns to him and screams, turning white. Favian has to catch her to keep her from falling off the bridge.

"What is he doing here!?" she shrieks.

"Calm yourself, princess," Ghirahim chuckles evilly. Now everyone is watching us. "For all of you who don't know, I'm Master Miriam's sword spirit. If any of you wish to hurt her, you'll have to go through me first," he smirks. I don't think anyone wants to hurt me in the first place, but now I feel unbelievably safe. Ghirahim is not scary. He's rather _terrifying._ He could physically hurt you, or he could scar you for life. If he wasn't my sword spirit, I would be frightened. Clearly, the other people feel the same.

"Just ignore him," I tell everyone. Ghirahim sticks his awkwardly long tongue out at me. "Back to the sword, Ghirahim." He does as I say, leaving everyone to stare at me. I shrug at them. "I killed Demise. Therefore, he became my sword spirit. He's useful… Sometimes," I grin, knowing Ghirahim can hear me. I hear a soft scoff from my sword. We travel for a bit longer, crossing the bridge and walking in Hyrule Field. It's much easier to kill enemies when you have over twenty people with you. We finally find a resting place and set up camp. I keep Ai close and fall asleep next to her.

Chapter 38

We finally make it to the Kokiri woods. Malon meets up with us and has brought enough horses for everyone. Link, Ai, Malon, Favian, and I all go to my house in the woods, leaving the rest of the people with Zelda and Micah.

"It's good to be home," I grin, flopping onto my bed. Malon tosses me my old clothes. I scoop them up and quickly walk into the extra room, where I change into my old outfit. I walk out, extremely happy to be back in my everyday clothes.

"That's much better," Link smiles.

"It feels much better," I admit. "Get changed," I tell the others. Link changes back into his normal green tunic (this makes me very happy to see him in his old green clothes), Malon changes into her usual dress, and Favian wears whatever he usually wears. "That looks much better," I tell Link, laughing.

"No offense to the Sheikah," Link says. "But I prefer this much more. We'd better get going," he tells us. I nod, reattaching my bag to my waist. Without the rags covering my face, I feel a little colder. I'm not used to my hair flopping all around, rather than being in a tight ponytail, and my boots are a bit larger than my Sheikah ones. Nonetheless, we start back to the group.

"So this is what you look like?" Micah smiles. I nod.

"This is me!" I grin, twirling around to show him. "Now let's go to the Lost Woods. Dark Link is probably sitting out there. His house is there," I remind them. We begin to head into Kokiri Village. Mido stops us.

"Where do you think you're going!?" he snaps. I bend down to eye level with him, grinning.

"To save Hyrule's butt," I tell him. "Now move, or I'll have my people trample you," I growl. Mido looks torn. He wants to show that he's dominant and stuff (I swear it's only a guy thing), yet he knows he'd lose in a fight against us. His common sense wins (for once), and he lets us through. "Thank you," I say merrily. "You want to leave the group here and go get Lark ourselves?" I ask him.

"That would probably be for the best," he agrees. So the two of us go into the Lost Woods, quickly maneuvering around it. We come across the small house that Lark keeps.

"What are we going to tell him?" I whisper to Link. He knows what I'm talking about. _How the heck are we going to tell him about Ookami? _Link frowns, tapping his foot in thought.

"Honestly, it's probably better to just tell it to him truthfully," Link admits. "If the same thing happened to you, I don't think I would do any better with someone breaking it to me gently. We just have to make sure he can't do anything to himself." I've never seen this side of Link before. Would he really hurt himself if something happened to me? I shake it off, walking up to Lark's door. Several cuccos roam around freely. I resist the very strong urge to chase them around.

"Hey," Lark says. I didn't even notice him open the door. He looks rather sad, like he's seen and done things that he didn't want to do. _I can't imagine what Ganondorf made him do,_ I think.

"That's no way to greet your sister!" I giggle, hugging him. He doesn't hug back or smile, but his eyes show that he's happy to see me. I think. "Did you gather any troops?" I ask him. Link's dark side nods.

"There aren't many, but they're loyal, and they'll come if I call for them," he murmurs. "Where's Ookami?"

"She…" I move the dirt in a circle with my foot, looking at the ground. "Lark, she…" I look up, seeing his worried eyes. "I can't find her," I tell him, quickly looking for any sharp objects. "But she may not be dead!" I say hurriedly. His face is expressionless for a moment. Then, he ruffles his hair with his hand, turning around to walk back into the house. I follow him in, watching as he tosses his hat onto the floor and sinks into a chair. "Lark…" I start. He stops me by waving his hand. "I don't think she's dead," I tell him. He turns to me, his red eyes leaving me wishing I hadn't said anything. He stands up, obviously very angry.

"She'd better not be," he snarls. The shadow quickly turns from angry to pained in less than a second. "It's my fault she's gone…" he whispers, sinking to the floor with his head in his hands. I crouch down next to him, putting my hand on his arm.

"No, it's not your fault," I murmur. "Don't you think we would feel something empty inside if she was gone?" I point out.

"I don't know if you've noticed," Lark hisses, his voice laced with poison. "But I was formed from the shadows. I'm not supposed to feel human emotions, let alone whether or not she's dead." Well, he has a point there. I frown. Tears are coming to my eyes, but I push them back. If I start crying, who knows what he'll do.

"Lark, don't overreact until we know for sure where she is. She may be under protected magic. I know I couldn't sense anyone when I was in the Sheikah Caverns, and Ganondorf couldn't find me, either," I tell him. "It may be a situation like that." Lark turns his crimson eyes on me again. They creep me out.

"Miriam, you don't understand," Lark growls. "If she's dead, I'm dead."

"You know, if you die, my fiancé dies, and therefore I will resurrect you from the dead just to kill you all over again," I snap. "Now be a man and stop moping around. Ookami needs you more than ever now. I'll search every night for her. I promise," I tell him. "And you know I never break my promises."

"I don't think you understand," Lark mumbles.

"I do understand. Don't pull this on me. The best way to help Ookami is to fight with us. Let's go now. We're holding up everyone else," I say, helping him to his feet. He still looks as dead as ever, but I can see a hint of determination in his eyes. I think that's what it is. "We're gonna get him, Lark. Don't you worry," I tell him. We walk outside, meeting back up with Link.

"You ready to travel?" Link asks. Lark looks at him, his eyes completely void of any emotion. He nods.

"Just give him a few," I tell Link. Link nods, understanding. He probably understands Lark way more than I do. The two have totally opposite personalities. Lark walks ahead, clearly not really thinking or listening to anything anyone says.

"He'll put all his emotions into his work," Link tells me. "We'll have to watch to make sure he doesn't do anything irrational," he murmurs. I nod.

"Keep a close eye on him," I utter. We come back to the group, where everyone raises their weapons, pointing them at Lark. "Enough," I tell them firmly. "He's on our side. Trust him with your lives." Some people look a bit skeptical, but they go along with it. "We need a place to stay," I say, shoving all my emotions out of my head. "Got any place?"

"There's a cave not far outside the woods," Link tells me. "It's giant, and can probably hold a lot of people," he recommends.

"Lead the way," I smile. It's a fake smile, but I put it on anyway. I stay extremely close to Lark, keeping a close eye on him. We become the back of the group. "You feeling okay?" I murmur.

"I'm fine," he says quickly, looking away and biting his lip.

"I'm sorry, Lark. Just… She can't be dead, okay?"

"What if she's not dead? What if it's worse? What if she's in pain?" his voice trembles. The usually tough and quiet Dark Link is finally crumbling. "I've been through a lot, Miriam. I was born as the opposite of the Hero of Time. I was created so that he could be defeated. I've done so many bad things in my life, and before Ookami, I didn't really have a reason to live. She's given me a reason to live, Miriam. I know Link understands me. I know you must understand it. But you can't possibly know how painful it is until it actually happens." Lark puts his arm on a tree, resting his head on it. His breath is coming more rapidly. I pull him into a hug. He hugs me back tightly. I fight the tears from my eyes.

"I'm sorry, Lark," I whisper. He sniffs. I lean back. Is Lark _crying?_ A tear rolls from his eye onto his cheek, leaving a trail. I quickly wipe it off. "You know what Ookami would say right now?" I say, half laughing, half crying. I can feel his pain, much like when I could feel Princess Zelda's pain. His, however, is crushing my insides.

"What?" he murmurs.

"She'd call you silly for crying," I tell him. "Come on. We'll find her." I take his wrist and drag him back to the group. The pain doesn't subside at all, but Lark is no longer crying. We finally walk into the most glorious cave I've ever seen. It's like one giant castle. The whole place is pretty large, though the entrance is pretty small. The cave walls are dark grey, yet there are some strategically placed crystals in the wall. The front room is large itself. I can't wait to see the rest of it. Ghirahim quickly comes right out to inspect the place.

"I have to admit," he says royally, running his gloved hands along the walls. "This is a pretty spectacular place." I stand in wonder and awe.

"Did I forget to mention," Link grins, standing next to me. "That this was Koume and Kotake's old house?" he laughs. "The front was the foyer, then there are several hallways around it, all complete with a meeting room, several bedrooms, and so much more".

"You're the best," I smile, hugging him.

"Come on, Mir. Let's go assign rooms and stuff," he says.

"Could you do that?" I beg. "I have to keep an eye on Lark."

"Let me talk to him," Link murmurs, walking up to Lark, careful not to touch him. I walk up to everyone who has gathered around and clap my hands to get their attention. They hush rather quickly.

"Hey guys," I smile. "It would be great if you guys could find your own rooms and things. So if you'll just find your own rooms, I'm pretty sure they're all the same size. Any people who are not family members cannot stay in the same room, unless you have special permission. After we find out more about this place, we'll be able to make charts and schedules and things. For now, just find a room and get settled, okay?" I tell them. Everyone seems to be easy going enough to agree to these rules and go with it. Link appears beside me soon.

"Start putting up spells and things to protect the cave," Link suggests. "The more hidden we are, the better." Ghirahim quickly comes out of the sword.

"I may be able to help you there," he says merrily. "I know a few tricks of the trade to help out there."

"Oh, you're helpful for once!" I tease. Ghirahim sticks his unusually long tongue out at me (which really creeps me out). "Get to work, Ghira."

"As long as you don't call me that," he says flatly.

"Oh, Ghirahim, we need to work on that sense of humor," I tell him. Ghirahim shakes his head but snaps his fingers, disappearing from our sight.

"You two are silly," Link laughs, ruffling my hair. I quickly put it back into place. "Want to see the meeting room?" he asks. I nod, following him to a large, relatively empty room. It has one giant stone table in the middle that's the same color as the cave walls. That's the only thing in the room. "It's not much, but it's all we really need." He has a point, there.

"We'll need maps of Hyrule… Start training strategists and fighters. We'll need more than this, but this is a great start." Link wraps his arm around me.

"We may rid the world of evil once and for all," he smiles. This must make Link, out of all people, ecstatic. "I don't know what I'll do after that," he admits.

"You'll be a ranch hand in Ordon," I tell him. "And we'll live there until we die," I shrug.

"That sounds rather boring," he admits.

"Yeah, but think about life with Botan and Ai," I giggle. Link laughs.

"That sounds less boring now," he chuckles. "Come on, time for bed," he says. I find my own room, all for myself. All the rooms are pretty large, covered with beautiful crystals and things. I don't believe this cave was made by the goddesses, but Koume and Kotake did pretty well. I collapse onto the bed, instantly falling asleep.

Chapter 39

"Miriam, you awake?" a voice asks, poking my face. I grumble and turn over. It's been only a week since we moved into the giant cave. "Come on, you have to search for Oki," Lark urges. I sit up, smoothing my hair back into place. I _did_ promise him to search for her every night.

"Can't I have a few more minutes?" I whine quietly. I doubt anyone else is up, although I don't know what time it is. The caves are too dark.

"It's almost noon, Miriam…" Lark frowns. I quickly stumble out of bed, almost tripping on myself. I pull my swords over my shoulder and slip on my boots.

"Why didn't someone wake me earlier!?" I exclaim.

"Link wanted to let you sleep in. You've been working too hard again," Lark points out. I throw him a hard look, even though I know he's right. As before, I've been working a lot more lately. I make myself work even harder, like I did before. When I'm stressed or under pressure, I just work harder. "You've been pushing yourself to the limits," Lark points out.

"No I haven't," I snap back, pulling my bag around my waist.

"When was the last time you ate?" Lark asks. My stomach growls loudly in answer. I don't feel it, though. The hunger is nothing to me. I've learned to block it out. It's nothing but a weakness. "You have to eat. And then you can search for Oki," Lark says. I scowl at him but don't protest. If I don't eat soon, I'll probably pass out, and that'll leave less time for training.

"We'll need to go over strategies after that," I tell him, walking out of my room. "I have to eat quickly and then search for Ookami," I say, my feet making no sound on the ground. I was happy to be in Sheikah clothes, but my old outfit feels so much better. My boots aren't as tight, my shirt isn't so tight, and it's a lot more comfortable. I spot Link out of the corner of my eye, but I ignore him. Last time he talked to me, he tried to make me stop training so hard. I'm not training for them. I'm training for Ookami. We need her back. For Lark's sake, for the group's sake, and for the sake of my sanity.

"Mir, slow down," Link persists, following me into the dining hall. We already have a good system working, and more people have joined us in a week. Several more Sheikah and Hylians go out to search for more people. We have over fifty now.

"Don't tell me to slow down," I hiss, giving him a hard glare. I eat quickly and then speed walk down the halls with Ai, Link, and Lark following me. "Ai, come with me. You two, leave," I tell Lark and Link. They both look at me, confused. I ignore them and head outside, beyond the walls of magic. I quickly sit down next to Ai, closing my eyes. I find a foothold on Ookami, thinking of her quirks and appearance. Then, I scan all of Hyrule for her. As usual, I come up with nothing. But I'm determined to find her. I press myself harder and harder.

"Miriam!" someone says. I block out their voice. I continue searching for Ookami. I know I'm just about ready to pass out, but I continue. I'm desperate to find her. "Miriam, wake up!" a voice exclaims. The person finally shakes me, making me open my eyes and lose my concentration. Not surprisingly, Link's piercing blue eyes stare back at me. "You can't push yourself so hard," he sighs. I look at my hands, saying nothing. The emotions are catching up with me. Ookami is dead. I've searched every day for her, and there's no sign of her. Our beloved blonde friend is _dead and gone._

"Link…" I mutter. "She's dead."

"Do you know for sure?" he asks quickly.

"No… I just… I can't find her," I push the tears from coming out of my eyes, but I can't hold them in long. The waterworks start. "She's dead, Link!" I exclaim, sobbing. Link attempts to hug me, but quickly gets pushed away. "Stay away," I tell him, burying my face in my hands.

"Miriam, stop blocking out the pain," Link frowns. "You've got to stop doing this to yourself. You'll become Lark. She can't be dead," he says rather strictly. I look at him. Though his face is blurry, I can tell he's concerned about me.

"Why aren't you worried about Ookami?" I hiss, my sadness turning into anger. I don't see him crying or hurting from all of this.

"Because I know Ookami is strong, Mir," he comforts. "Come on, let's get you inside."

"Momma," Ai whimpers, sitting in my lap. "I can help you," she says. I stare at her blankly.

"What do you mean, Ai?"

"Hold my hand, Momma. You can take some of my magic," she smiles. I shake my head at her. Even if she does have any magic, she'd pass out if I tried.

"Ai, I can't do that. Let's go inside." Ai quietly obeys, taking my hand and following me inside.

"We're having a meeting soon," Link tells me. I nod. "We'll be in the meeting room. All adults are asked to attend. You'll be telling our troops what to do."

"Sounds good," I tell him. I've been over a lot of different strategies lately while training. "When is it?" I ask him.

"Right after dinner. You'll have to be the first one there, since you're sort of the leader," Link says.

"What do you mean I'm the leader?" I inquire, my emotions washing away as I focus on saving Hyrule. "You're the one who should be the leader. You save Hyrule all the time," I point out.

"I'm not nearly as fired up as you are, though," he explains. "People need the extra push, so you're the hard working leader. And you're good at things like this." I ignore him and walk to a separate room, where we keep most of the children during the day. I let Ai play with the other kids, then turn to Link.

"Come on now, we'd better train some more," I say to him, dragging him back out of the play room. He follows me to a training room, where many people are gathered. I made sure to make the training rooms some of the largest caverns in the entire cave. There are three training rooms in all. One for novices, one for standard leveled people, and another for the advanced. We're in the advanced room at the moment, where several things are going on at once. There are bows and arrows, knives, and, of course, swords. Link and I both grab our swords and begin training with each other.

»•§•«

After dinner, I quickly walk into the meeting room with Link, standing in front of the table. Several more people pile in, until all of the adults are in the room, minus the ones watching the children. Everyone quietly talks amongst themselves. There are no chairs, and it's a rather tight space, but we fit together rather comfortably.

"Alright, we've gathered you all here to go over strategies," Micah informs them, easily projecting his voice to the crowd. Everyone quickly quiets. "Miriam?" he says, letting me take the floor. I stand in front of the map on the table, glancing at it briefly.

"Listen up, we'll have to gather troops before we can even think about attacking. Any family members and friends that you can trust may join us," I tell them. They listen well. "You have to _trust_ them, though. If you do not, do not bring them here. One person who is loyal to Ganondorf will ruin our entire plan, therefore putting Hyrule in even greater danger. We must gather troops before we attack, though. We're not large enough to attack what Ganondorf has." As soon as I'm finished talking for the moment, another person speaks up. A skinny Hylian man with rather scraggly hair walks to the table.

"But our people are suffering out there! We must attack now!" he argues. The crowd starts murmuring right away. I quickly silence them.

"Attacking now will be suicide," I tell him calmly. "We must gather more people." The man's body language practically screams anger. He stands rigid with his fists clenched.

"Our families are dying out there and we sit here doing nothing!" he spits. The crowd murmurs even louder this time.

"Hey!" I shout, trying to get them to stop talking. They don't listen. I slam my fist on the table, silencing everyone. "Irrational thinking like that gets us into tricky situations. If you want to save Hyrule, you have to listen to me and follow my directions. Otherwise, Hyrule won't have a chance. We must think like a group and act like a group. Start listening to me and follow instructions and we won't let you down. We'll do our best to get your family members back, I promise. I have my own friend to find out there, too. I'm just as affected as all of you. So if you cooperate, we can save Hyrule. If you don't want to cooperate, _get out._" No one moves. "Good. Now who's with me!?" A large cheer erupts from them. This is good. We have morale now. "Great! Now everyone get some good sleep, and we'll train hard in the morning. For Hyrule!" Another cheer. I dismiss the meeting, allowing everyone to go to their rooms. Link, Micah, Lark, and Zelda all stay in the room. Ghirahim comes out of the sword, scaring Zelda and Micah. "We can't have another person do that," I growl.

"He was just acting on the fact that he wants his family back," Zelda says gently. I shake my head at her, staring at the map.

"Irrational thinking like that will get us in trouble if we don't keep them in line. We have to look like we know what we're doing. We have to look very powerful if we're going to keep everyone in line. Get some good sleep, guys," I tell them, walking out of the meeting room. Ghirahim follows close behind. I walk into my room, setting my swords against my bed and taking off my boots. I sit on my bed, head in my hands. Ghirahim leans against the opposite wall.

"What are you thinking about?" he asks.

"Ookami," I murmur. Just thinking about her disappearance makes my heart sink to my stomach. I run my hand through my hair, sighing.

"You know, Master, I was thinking…" Ghirahim starts. I allow him to continue. "You can't use your magic to sense into different worlds. I was thinking… What if she went back to her real world?" he suggests. I look at him, beaming. I quickly stand up.

"Ghirahim! You're brilliant!" I laugh, hugging him. Ghirahim awkwardly hugs back. I make a mental note to teach him how to hug properly someday. "But how would we make the portal?" I ask, pacing around the room.

"The portal can easily be opened with magic, though you'll need quite a lot of it. Neither one of us possesses enough experience to open one on our own. But Ai…" he mutters.

"What about her?" I ask him.

"Master, I know it's a little late to be telling you this, but I've noticed something about her. Normally, I can detect how much magic one person holds in them rather easily. But with Ai, her magic is off my radar. I can tell she has a great amount of it, Master. But there's no way of telling how much she has. I just know she has more than you or I," he explains. I sit back on my bed.

"What _is_ she, Ghirahim?" I ask.

"Honestly, I've been analyzing her for a while, and I cannot come up with a proper answer to that," he sighs.

"I'm assuming you realize that you cannot tell anyone about this?"

"Of course, Master," Ghirahim grins. "What? Do I look like a fool to you?"

"Only sometimes," I remark automatically. "Can you open the portal anywhere?" I ask.

"I suggest that you open it outside, but yes. You can," he responds. I stand up again, pulling my boots on and putting the swords over my shoulders. I grab my cloak.

"We can grab Ai from Link's room and say we're going on a walk or something," I tell Ghirahim. "But I'll have to write Link a letter first…" I murmur, pulling out a pad of paper. I quickly scribble a note on it and put it on the table next to my bed. "Let's go," I say. Ghirahim disappears into the sword. I quickly walk down the halls, thankful for my training as a Sheikah. I make no sound. I reach Link's room, quietly knocking on the door.

"Come in," I hear him murmur. I open the door, finding him taking off his boots, Ai sitting on the floor across from him. "Hey, Mir. What is it?" he asks, standing up to greet me. I smile at him, taking Ai's hand.

"Do you mind if I take a walk with Ai?" I ask. Link looks at me, slightly bewildered. "I just need some fresh air," I tell him.

"Uh, sure," he says.

"Thanks," I murmur. "Good night, Link."

"Good night, Miriam." I walk out, holding Ai's hand. I cross my fingers that Link isn't too suspicious. I quickly lead Ai down the winding halls and outside. The air is warming up, getting ready for spring. It's still rather chilly out, though. I wrap my cloak around Ai to keep her warm.

"Okay, Ghirahim," I say after we're a little ways from the cave. Ghirahim comes out of the sword, careful not to scare Ai too much. She doesn't seem the least bit phased. "Now what?" I ask him.

"You'll have to hold onto her as you concentrate. You don't know what the real world is like, so I'll lend you a bit of my own power. After the portal is opened, you have a few moments to get in, so you'll have to send Ai back on her own." I frown at this last part.

"I can't just leave her here," I growl. "Stalfos come out at night."

"You could run her back into the cave," Ghirahim suggests. "But you'd have to hurry."

"Then I'll do that," I confirm. I hold onto Ghirahim's gloved hand and Ai's tiny little hand. I close my eyes, concentrating. I can feel Ghirahim's help, and then, quite suddenly, a giant power surge takes over. I have no control of the magic, and with the way Ghirahim is reacting, he has no control either. I open my eyes, looking at Ghirahim. He looks back at me, just as confused. I glance at Ai, noticing that her veins are glowing blue again, and a strange aura surrounds her. A flash of light sends us all reeling.

"What was _that!?"_ Ghirahim exclaims. I shrug, noticing a large oval shape of light in front of us. It's large enough to fit Ghirahim and me through it. I quickly grab Ai, who doesn't seem the least bit tired, and rush her into the cave, dropping her off at the entrance. I see a Hylian woman walking along.

"Take her to Link," I instruct the woman. She obeys, holding Ai's hand. I pray that Ai is okay, while rushing back to the portal.

"Come on, we don't have much time," Ghirahim insists. I grab his hand, scared to jump in. "It's not so frightening," he attempts to comfort. I'm still scared, though.

"Okay… Let's go," I say, walking into the portal.

Chapter 40

My entire body feels like it's getting mashed into a thousand pieces, my head spins, and the light is blinding. Everything aches. It's not as bad as what I've experienced before, but it's still rather painful. The light finally clears, leaving me rather discombobulated. I don't quite feel the same, and, upon opening my eyes, I realize that the world in front of me is _extremely_ different. It's definitely not Hyrule, that's for sure. It's even more detailed and less perfect. Everything here is so much more diverse. Even the grass looks unique. I look at myself, realizing that my usual blue and gold trimmed outfit is replaced with something else. I'm wearing… _pants._ I let out an involuntary shriek.

"What am I wearing!?" I exclaim, staring at my clothes. I'm wearing a shirt like Ookami does (I think she called it a T-shirt), but it's dark blue with a golden Triforce on the front. It's rather floppy and surprisingly comfortable. My boots are black with useless black straps on them. My pants are still the most alarming thing on me, though. They're _pants._ And they're so tight!

"You're wearing pants," Ghirahim says, stating the obvious. _He_ didn't change clothes.

"They're so tight!" I frown.

"I believe they're called 'skinny jeans'. They're very fashionable." I scowl at him.

"They're so weird," I whine. I ruffle my hair absentmindedly. Then, I realize it. Someone. Cut. My. _Hair._ WHO IN THE NAME OF FARORE DID THIS!? "MY HAIR!" I scream. Ghirahim smirks.

"You look fabulous with shorter hair," he remarks. It goes past my shoulders, but it's far above my stomach. Not only that, but it's _perfectly_ straight and has lots of shorter pieces. "You have layers," Ghirahim explains.

"Let's get Ookami, and then get the hell out of here," I hiss, starting to walk forward. Walking in pants is so freaking hard.

"Master, do you even know where you're going?" Ghirahim asks. I glare at him.

"No," I answer honestly.

"I would recommend that you sit down and concentrate on Ookami, then. This world is a lot larger than Hyrule. Approximately 24.3 times larger."

"Stop that," I growl. I swear the pants are putting me in a bad mood.

"Stop what?" Ghirahim asks. I struggle to sit down in the skinny jeans.

"Giving me confusing numbers when I'm stressed."

"Master, you're _always_ stressed," he points out.

"Just shut up and let me concentrate," I hiss. Ghirahim obeys since he really doesn't have much of a choice. I close my eyes, letting my mind concentrate on Ookami. Her blonde hair, blue eyes, and cheery personality come to me rather easily. I use my magic to find her. I quickly find myself in a dark room. I have to adjust to the diversity of this world. Finally, I spot the little blonde. My heart sinks immediately. Her head is down, her hands behind her back. Wait-is she… _kidnapped!?_ I look around. No one else seems to be around. "Ookami!" I exclaim. She stirs gently. She's not dead. Ookami's not dead. Ookami isn't dead!

"Mmmm," she lets out, lifting her head to look at me. Her eyes light up slightly. Her face is dirty, her eyes are dull, and she has several wounds. She's gagged with a white rag so she can't speak. Her hands and feet are tied. "Mmmm!" she mumbles. I run to her, kneeling next to her. Since I'm just an illusion, I can't touch her. I'm like a ghost.

"Ookami!" I exclaim. "You're alive! Thank the goddesses! We're going to get you back safely, I promise," I tell her. Something slams in the other room. Ookami's blue eyes widen with fear. I can feel my magic quickly draining. "I have to leave now, Ookami. I'll come rescue you, though. I promise," I tell her. I open my eyes, finding myself staring at Ghirahim again. "This is becoming a nasty habit of yours," I tell him, unfazed.

"Did you find her?" he asks.

"She's been kidnapped," I sigh. "I swear she's got the Princess Zelda curse." Ghirahim looks thoroughly confused. "This is about the third time she's been kidnapped. Although it's better than me," I admit. Got kidnapped twice by Ganondorf and many, many times as a child by Naberius… "Let's get her and get out," I tell Ghirahim. He nods. I look at him. "Um… Is there any way you can disappear? You look a little different…" I point out. He looked different in Hyrule, let alone this world. Ghirahim sighs.

"I'll become a knife, Master. I'll become a sword when we go back to Hyrule, but you can't be walking around with a sword in this world. A knife is a little more conspicuous." I shrug. I hold out my hand, where he quickly transforms into a small, yet impressive black knife. It has very detailed work on the handle. _Ghirahim can't do anything without being flamboyant,_ I think to myself. I slide the knife carefully into my black boots.

I carefully use my magic to locate Ookami again. Lucky for me, she isn't far away. I hurry in the direction that she's in. I find out very quickly that there are large beasts on the road that roar rather loudly. I quickly avoid them, finding an alternate route. My magic leads me to a sketchy house that looks like it hasn't been kept up with in a while. Most of the houses in the bad parts of Castle Town look better than this thing. At any rate, I start to walk towards it.

"Master," Ghirahim's familiar voice reaches me. "Wouldn't it be smarter to wait until her captors came out of that?" he suggests. I notice that he doesn't even use the word "house".

"I suppose you're right," I murmur, sitting down. The grass is sharp and uncomfortable. I lean against a tree, waiting. But before I know it, my weary eyes start to droop a little and I begin to feel tired. It's already noon or so. I finally give into the weight of my eyes and take a little nap.

»•§•«

"Master!" I hear. I open my eyes, the memory of the day still fresh in my head. "They finally left," Ghirahim confirms. I groggily get up, shaking the grass off my pants. I still can't seem to get adjusted to these pants. "You'd better hurry, though."

"Alright, alright I'm going," I grumble, heading towards the house. "Are you sure there's no one else in there?" I whisper, suddenly a little more frightened. This world is a lot more advanced than Hyrule. Hyrule is typically a peaceful place (other than when Ganondorf, Demise, Agahnim, Naberius, or Ghirahim try to take over). This land seems rather busy and noisy.

"Wait- there is another person in there," Ghirahim murmurs. "Two, actually. But one is smaller than the other. Now that you have rested, your magic should be restored," he confirms. I nod.

"Thank you," I tell him, finally pulling on the door. It's locked. That's odd. It doesn't make much of a difference, though, because I use my magic to burst through it anyway. After the dust clears, I find a man pointing something at my head. I stare at it, perplexed. "What exactly is that?" I ask him.

"It's a gun, Master," Ghirahim tells me. "One tiny bead can kill you instantly. Be careful," he warns.

"Who are you?" the man asks. He has gross black hair and blood shot eyes. "Answer or I'll shoot!" he snaps. I raise my eyebrow at him. With a wave of my hand, his gun is flung across the corner of the room. He looks at me, scared, and begins to back up. "You're one of those magic people, aren't you? You came through a portal," he stutters.

"Where is she?" I growl, stepping closer. He backs against the wall. "WHERE. IS. OOKAMI!?" I scream.

"Not so loud, Master," Ghirahim sighs.

"Hush up. You deal with this man, and I'll find Ookami," I tell Ghirahim. "If he doesn't speak up, kill him." Ghirahim obeys, coming out of the knife and questioning the frightened young man. I would be scared, too, if Ghirahim were questioning me like that. I quickly walk down some stairs into a dark basement. The room is familiar. "Ookami!" I exclaim, running over to her. She's in the same place that she was before.

"Mmm!" she lets out, squirming.

"It's alright, we're here," I tell her, untying the rag around her mouth. She coughs. "Don't speak yet. You're dehydrated," I say. I finish untying her hands and feet, then begin to run up the stairs.

"Don't leave," she lets out, her voice cracked. My hands immediately clench into fists. _What did they do to her?_

"I'll be right back," I promise her, running up the stairs. Ghirahim stands with a glass of water in his hands. "What did you do with the man?" I ask him.

"He wouldn't speak," Ghirahim says simply.

"Alright. Look for the other person in the house," I tell Ghirahim. "But don't kill them quite yet." Ghirahim does as I say and walks around the disgusting house. There is trash everywhere. I don't want to put my hands on anything in fear that it will give me some rare disease or something. "Here you go, Ookami," I tell her, handing her the water. She drinks all of it quickly. "What else do you need?" I ask her gently.

"Cassie," she murmurs. I cock my head. _Isn't that the name of her little sister?_

"What about her?" I ask.

"She's…" Ookami starts. Ghirahim comes down the stairs gracefully, smiles at Ookami, and points to upstairs.

"There's a little girl…" Ghirahim chuckles, scratching his head.

"Oki!" something squeals. Ookami's face lights up.

"Oh, and your captors are coming," he says absently. I quickly stand up, pulling Ookami to her feet.

"Let's go," I say quickly. "We'll get food and water soon, I promise," I tell her. Ookami stumbles up the stairs. "Ghirahim, carry her," I tell him. Ghirahim quickly scoops up Ookami. At the top of the stairs is a little red haired girl, about Ai's age.

"Oki! Oki!" the girl squeals with delight. I scoop her up as well. She stares at me, smiling. The kidnappers clearly left Cassie alone. "Where we going, Oki?" she asks. Ookami is passed out in Ghirahim's arms, so I answer for her.

"We're getting away from this place," I tell her, running out the door. Cassie holds onto me tightly. "It'll be okay. We'll make sure you and Ookami are safe," I promise. I instinctively run for the woods. If there's one thing I know in any world, it's a forest. We find a clearling far, far away from the house where we settle down. Ghirahim props Ookami against a tree, and I sit with Cassie. She seems to be in pretty good shape, other than her dirty clothes and some bruises.

"Would you like me to fetch some water?" Ghirahim asks. I nod.

"That would be good," I tell him, sitting with Cassie. Ghirahim snaps his fingers, teleporting away. "Hi, Cassie," I say kindly. Cassie smiles at me, her little green eyes sparkling. "I'm Miriam," I tell her.

"Miri!" Cassie grins. Clearly, Ookami has told Cassie all about me. I let out a laugh.

"Yes, I'm Miri," I tell her. "Would you like to go to Hyrule?" I ask. Cassie's face is _pure joy._ She reminds me of Ai so much. My heart aches a little inside, thinking of my adopted child. "Alright, get some sleep and we may go there soon," I tell the little girl. Cassie nods, curling up next to Ookami. Ghirahim finally comes back. I put my finger to my lips, cautioning him to not awaken Cassie. I gently wake up Ookami and give her the glass of water. She drinks it all, then turns around next to Cassie and falls asleep. I lean against a tree myself, tired of today's events.

Chapter 41

I wake up with a very bright light in my eyes. I cover my eyes from the sun, sitting up. I spot Ookami and Cassie still curled up next to each other. Out of the corner of my eye, there's a bit of movement. It's a small brown rabbit. Well, I guess that works. I carefully pull Ghirahim's knife from my boot and throw it at the bunny. I feel kind of sorry for it, but it's for a good reason. My stomach growls loudly, reminding me of how hungry I really am. I gather some sticks, then, too lazy to put in the work, I use my magic to start a fire. I skin the rabbit and start to cook it. Cassie is the first to waken, and she walks over to the fire, quietly sitting in front of it.

"Miri?" she says innocently.

"Yes?" I respond, turning the rabbit.

"Are we leaving today?" she asks quietly. I smile at her.

"I don't know," I tell her honestly. "Make sure you don't wake your sister," I warn her. Cassie nods. She's like a little miniature Ookami. Her eyes and hair are different colors, but her face is just like her sister's. I gather some water from a pond nearby and fill the glass from yesterday with it, setting it over the fire to let it boil. The rabbit is finally cooked. Ookami begins to stir. Her face is dirty, and she has several wounds on her. I frown, but Ookami smiles at the sight of the rabbit. "Good morning," I tell her, handing her the glass of water. Ookami shakes her head and hands it to Cassie, who quickly accepts it. I refill the cup.

"Thanks for saving me," Ookami says tiredly. I nod, handing her a bit of the rabbit. She takes it and eats it hungrily. I give a small piece to Cassie, who turns her nose up at it. I laugh.

"It's the only food we'll have for a while," I tell the little girl. She carefully takes it, sniffs it, and takes a giant bite of it. The ginger clearly doesn't like the taste, but is too hungry to complain. I take a small piece for myself and give the rest to Ookami. "We'll have to tend to those wounds there," I tell Ookami. She seems much more lively now that she's had food and water.

"I'm fine," she says.

"No you're not," I growl. "We're going to get you cleaned up before we go back to Hyrule," I tell her.

"Where are the others?" she asks. I know by 'others' she means Lark. I scratch my head awkwardly.

"I may have come here without telling them…" I chuckle awkwardly. Lucky for me, Ookami doesn't have the strength to slap me.

"You left the Links to worry about us!?" she exclaims. "Do you even realize what they'll do!?" Now that she mentions it, yes. I can imagine what they'll do.

"Well, they'll probably search all of Hyrule and murder everything that looks even remotely like a threat all while contemplating to kill themselves. You should have seen Lark when I told him I couldn't sense you…" I frown. Ookami looks very concerned. "Well, we kept him from hurting himself." Cassie stares at us, perplexed. I smile at her. "You remind me so much of Ai," I say out loud.

"Who?" Ookami asks. _Oh… Right… Ookami doesn't know about Ai…_ I remind myself.

"My adopted daughter," I say casually. Ookami nearly chokes on the piece of rabbit. I take a deep breath. "Link and I found her in a forest and she called us her momma and dada so we just went along with it and her veins glow when she's upset and she's freakishly powerful, so powerful that even Ghirahim can't quite comprehend how much magic she has and I have no clue what to do with her," I blurt out. Ookami stares at me. "Oh you'll figure it out later," I shrug.

"Master?" Ghirahim speaks up.

"Yes?"

"How are we going to get back to Hyrule?" he asks. _Well that's a dilemma, _I think to myself.

"I don't know…" I answer. "But I'll think of something. Hey, Ookami, why did those guys kidnap you in the first place?" I ask her.

"They wanted me to open a portal to Hyrule," she sighs. "They threatened to hurt Cassie if I didn't tell them. I don't have enough power to open a portal, so they hurt me, not Cassie." I listen to her, but tear off one of the sleeves of the floppy shirt I'm wearing and dip it in the clean, boiled water. "They took away the potion I had with me-"

"Wait. What?" I interrupt her. Now it's Ookami's turn to explain it. I toss the cloth to her, and she wipes her face with it, getting most of the dirt off of it.

"I can't create the portal on my own," she explains. "I don't have enough magic in me, so I always buy two magic potions from Koume and Kotake. One to create the portal there, and one to send me back. Lark taught me how. He learned from Ganondorf. The men who kidnapped me took away my potion and wasted it. Now I have no way of getting back," she sighs.

"I guess we're stuck here for a while…" I murmur. Then, I get an idea. "Hold on a moment," I tell her, crossing my legs and closing my eyes to concentrate.

"She looks like she's meditating," I hear Ookami whisper to Ghirahim. He hushes her. I concentrate on Ai, with her bright green eyes, long brown hair, and overall adorable stature. She's reaching out to me as well, because in a moment, I open my eyes and see her standing there. "Ai!" I exclaim. I want to hug her, but I know I can't.

"Momma!" she giggles, running up to me. She tries to hug me, but can't. Her veins begin to glow blue with frustration.

"Ai, honey, you need to open another portal," I tell her. She looks up at me, her green eyes twinkling with admiration. "This time, we'll need to fit four people through it. Does that sound okay?" I ask her. Ai nods. "I have some people for you to meet. Go ahead and open the portal. If it's too hard and you can't do it, that's okay too." Ai lets out a small giggle.

"It's not too hard, Momma," she says. "It's easy." With that, she fades away, leaving me feeling kind of empty. Ookami looks at me, intrigued.

"So that's Ai," she says. I nod and start to speak, but I'm quickly interrupted by a very large portal that appears in front of us. The swirly light makes me perplexed. _That's my ticket to home,_ I think to myself, standing up. I help Ookami up, who has washed off most of the dirt off of her face. Cassie holds Ookami's hand very tightly, and Ghirahim returns to the knife. Ookami looks at me.

"You know, you look good with your hair layered like that," she says.

"That's what I said!" Ghirahim exclaims from the knife. "And the pants don't look bad on her, either," he says. Ookami pulls out something from her pocket, aims it at me, giggles, and puts it back into her pocket.

"Okay, let's go," I tell them, walking into the portal. The light swirls around us, and, much like before, my body feels like it's getting mashed into pieces and stuck together again. Finally, it all ends, and I find it safe enough to open my eyes. I breathe in the fresh Hyrule air, so happy to be back at last. "Goddess this feels good!" I grin, throwing my hands into the air, finally home. I'm back in my usual clothes (thank Din I'm not wearing those stupid skinny jeans anymore) with my swords attached as usual and my hair its typical waist length.

"Momma!" I hear. I find Ai, who runs up to me. I hug her tightly, lifting her off the ground. She lets out a giggle.

"Hey you!" I laugh, holding onto her. "Ai, this is Ookami," I tell her.

"Oki," Cassie lets out. "Who's this?" Ookami smiles, scooping Cassie up.

"This is Ai," Ookami says. "Ai, this is Cassie." The two seem to get along rather nicely.

"Momma," Ai mumbles, digging her head into my neck and holding tight. In a few moments, her breathing slows and a little whistle comes out of her nose when she breathes out. I can't help but smile at this.

"Where do you think we are?" I ask Ookami. She shrugs, looking around as well. It looks like part of the Kokiri Woods. It finally registers on where we are. "Oh, we're not far from my tree house," I say, standing in the clearing. "I wonder why Ai was all the way over here… Let's go back to the tree house and see what's up," I suggest. We begin to walk over there, both of us each holding a little girl. I crawl up the ladder of my tree house rather easily, since it's so familiar. Ookami struggles a little more, but I help her up. I unlock the door and walk in, gently laying Ai on the bed. Ookami settles Cassie into the chair in the corner.

"I'll stay here and watch over them. You can go look for anyone else," Ookami says. I nod, quietly walking out the door and crawling down the ladder. I walk around the woods again. It's been a long, long time since I walked around these woods alone. I run my hands along the well-known bark. Before this great adventure, I didn't know I was a half-demon, the Center of the Triforce, or engaged to the Hero of Time. I was living on my own with just the distant knowledge that Link would come and save Hyrule and that I would never meet him. I hadn't met Ookami, Dark Link, Midna, Link, or Malon. I doubt Botan had been very old at all, and who knows what was going on with Ai.

A sound in the distance wakens me from my daydream. I quickly hide behind a tree, once again thankful for my Sheikah heritage. Something moves from behind some trees in the distance. I watch from behind the large oak tree carefully. The figure moves closer until I realize who it is.

"Link!" I exclaim, walking out from behind the giant oak. I guess I surprised him pretty well, because it takes him a moment to realize what's going on. When it finally clicks in his head, he runs towards me, tackling me to the ground. _Um. Ow?_

"Miriam!" he lets out. I can't help but laugh.

"What?"

"I thought you were dead for sure oh, goddess!" he says, hugging me tightly.

"I can't… breathe…" I gasp. He lessens his grip slightly, but still holds onto me. "Why did you think I was dead?" I ask him, laughing slightly. Link sits up, looking me in the eye.

"Miriam, you said you were going for a walk, and then Ai returned. I found the note in your room, and I knew something was up. With Ookami missing, we feared the worst-"

"Wait, what do you mean by _we?"_ I ask him. Link's blue eyes still look concerned.

"I mean Dark and I," he says. "We thought you were gone-probably kidnapped by the same person that kidnapped Ookami. I was so worried, Miriam," Link gasps, hugging me again. I hug back, glad to see him again, though I didn't think he was dead or anything. "Where were you?" he finally asks.

"In the real world," I tell him. He stares at me. "Ookami is the in the tree house with her little sister, Cassie, and Ai. Did you leave Ai on her own?" I scowl. Link shakes his head.

"No, actually. I told her to stay close. I was just looking for her. She ran off and I couldn't find her. I was scared for that, too…" he admits.

"You sound like you just had the most stressful twenty four hours of your life," I say teasingly. "Come on, let's get back to the tree house, and you can calm down there. Where's Lark?" I ask him.

"He's searching Hyrule as well. I think he's near Death Mountain." I let out a sigh. It'll take a while to get him as well.

"Let's stay in the tree house for the night," I tell him. "We can search for Lark tomorrow," I say, yawning. It's only noon, but traveling from one world to another has gotten me sleepy.

"Tired already?" Link teases. I nod.

"Jumping from world to world is stressful work," I remind him. "And when we get there, make sure you're gentle with Ookami. She was kidnapped again, and she's still recovering from it." Link nods, though he's clearly concerned about her. "She'll be okay," I say out loud, more for myself than for Link. I'm just happy she's alive.

"I told you she would be okay," Link says teasingly, giving me a gentle punch in the arm. I stick my tongue out at him.

"That world was so weird," I shiver. "Everything was so different. Did you know I even changed clothes when I went there?" I exclaim. "My hair was cut, too."

"Really?" Link asks, surprised. "How did you look?" he asks. A familiar flash of diamonds surprises both of us, until we realize that it's just Ghirahim.

"She looked _fabulous,_" he grins. I roll my eyes at him. "I believe that Ookami still has a picture on that device of hers."

"What!?" I exclaim. "There's evidence of me in _pants!?"_ I nearly wake the whole forest with my shouts. Link and Ghirahim shush me. "Don't you shush me! That needs to be burned! Now!" I snap, running for my tree house. Link and Ghirahim chase after me. (Ghirahim teleports and Link follows close behind.) "Ookami! Emergency!" I shout jokingly. She dashes out of the tree house quickly, spotting Ghirahim and Link and smiles. I bound up the ladder and quickly reach inside her pocket, pulling out the device. It's blank. "Oh never mind," I tell her, handing it back to her.

"What are you doing?" she asks, laughing. "Hey, Link! Long time no see!" she laughs.

"Well, there's no use crying over spilt Ookami," he smirks. _What is with that joke!?_ "Although that doesn't work as well with your name…" he admits. Nonetheless, Ookami goes into a fit of laughter. I ignore them, happy to have no evidence of me with short hair while wearing pants. I let them all inside and start fixing some stew.

"Oh, Link, I have something to show you," Ookami grins. I frown. _That's her evil grin,_ I tell myself. I slowly creep forward, determined to make sure she doesn't know I'm standing behind her. The blonde takes out her device from her pocket and presses a button, making the front light up. "This is my cell phone," she explains. _Oh yes, like that makes sense._ I refrain from saying anything, in the fear that she'll notice me behind her. Ookami presses on the front of it a few times and all of a sudden, there's me with short hair and pants. Before she can show Link, I dive-bomb her 'cell phone', quickly taking it out of her hands. "Miriam!" she exclaims.

"There is no way!" I tell her, holding the cell phone far above her head. Link stands up, beginning to walk over to us. Link is taller than I am, so I know I would lose this fight.

"Ghirahim!" I shout.

"No fair!" Ookami and Link shout. I hand the device to my loyal sword spirit.

"Make sure those two can't get to it," I smirk.

"Oh but Master! You looked fabulous," he whines.

"Ghirahim," I say sternly. Ghirahim rolls his eyes and snaps his fingers, making the device disappear. "Thank you. Now if you'll stop teaming up against me, I have some stew," I tell them, holding the bowls of stew up for them. After we've all eaten our stew and finished catching up on things, I can't help but curl up on my bed.

"Taking a nap?" Link asks. I simply nod, slowly falling into sleep.

Chapter 42

"Mir…" someone murmurs. The smell of the woods and home envelopes me, leaving a small smile on my face. I refuse to open my eyes. "Come on, Mir, we've got some stew that Ghirahim just made," Link coaxes. I slowly open my eyes and sit up.

"How long was I asleep?" I mumble, scratching my head. It feels so great to have my hair back to normal.

"It's morning, and you fell asleep a little after noon," he says. "You must have been tired." I nod, taking the bowl of soup Ghirahim offers me. I smile, noticing Cassie and Ai playing together on the floor. "They've become fast friends," Link explains.

"Good. Ai needs someone her age, and Cassie will need someone to help her adjust to Hyrule," I say, blowing on the hot stew to cool it off. "I should probably tell Lark we're here, huh?" I ask Link.

"I wouldn't recommend telling him we have Ookami. He might do something irrational. Just tell him to come back to the caves and cut it off short, so he can't argue with you," he suggests.

"You know you're just giving me advice on how to control you, right?" I say teasingly. Link rolls his eyes playfully and takes the bowl out of my hands so I can concentrate. I close my eyes, thinking of Lark's red eyes and black clothes. Since he's so close to Link, it's not hard to think about. He comes to me easily.

I nearly get run over by Lark's black horse, until I realize that he'll go right through me. I close my eyes as Geno runs through me, then open them again, staring at where Lark rides Geno. "Lark!" I yell out, trying to get his attention. He's too concentrated on killing Bulblins, I suppose, because he doesn't seem to hear me. As soon as all the Bulblins are killed, I run up to Lark, standing so he can see me clearly.

"What are you doing here!?" he asks, his voice rough. "Did you find Oki?" he asks, dismounting Geno. I blow him off like Link told me to.

"Come back to the caves, Lark," I tell him. He starts to say something, but I break out of the illusion, coming back to my tree house. "Okay, I cut him off early so he didn't get a say in it. I didn't tell him we had Ookami, and I left before he could say anything," I tell Link. He smiles.

"That should work. He'll be too curious to refuse, and he probably misses you," Link remarks. I look over at Ookami, who is fast asleep in a chair near the fireplace. "She was so tired, and I decided to leave her alone this morning. What exactly went on in her world?" he asks. I explain to Link exactly what happened and how we got out. I try not to linger on the fact that my hair was changed and I was wearing pants. Link still finds this hilarious, though, and won't leave the subject alone.

"She looked good enough to-" Ghirahim starts.

"Stop before I have to slap you," I say, cutting him off. The flamboyant demon lord lets out a sigh, but he shuts his trap. "Don't you think we should start heading back soon?" I suggest. I take a sip of the soup, finding it absolutely perfect. Ghirahim can cook, that's for certain.

"We probably should. If Lark doesn't find us there first, he'll probably think Ganon tricked him or something and go after him. You get Ai and Cassie ready, I'll start packing up, and Ghirahim can wake up Ookami or something." Link begins to put the plan into action, but I quickly stop it.

"As much as I love annoying Ookami, I won't put her through the torture of having Ghirahim wake her up," I laugh, walking over to Ookami. "Oki…" I coo softly. Her eyes flash open, and she struggles to catch her breath. "Did I scare you? Sorry," I murmur. Ookami continues to pant and calm herself.

"I'm okay," she says out loud, more for herself than anyone else.

"Did you sleep alright?" I ask her gently.

"Yeah, a few nightmares, but nothing too bad. Are we leaving?" she asks. I nod.

"I told Lark to meet us at the caves-our meeting place-but I didn't tell him you were going to be there. So, uh, be careful not to scare him," I laugh weakly, scratching my head.

"Well this will be an adventure," she chuckles nervously.

"More than you know…" I mumble under my breath. "We'd better get going," I say. Link hands us all bags to carry down to Epona. "Uh, how are we going to travel?" I ask him.

"I honestly didn't think this part through…" he answers. I sit down, thinking it over. I come up with the answer quickly.

"You and Ookami can turn into wolves, and Ai and Cassie can ride on you two. I'll take Epona." The plan seems to agree with both of them, so they both transform into their other selves. "Don't let your demon side take over," I warn Ookami. "You've got precious cargo." I set Cassie on her, who quickly grips Ookami's neck rather tightly. "Loosen up a little, Cas," I chortle. She continues to hold onto the tan wolf, but not nearly as desperately. I pick up Ai and carefully put her on Link. "Be careful with her," I warn him. I know he's just as concerned about her safety as I am, but I can't help myself from saying it.

I swing my leg over Epona, getting ready to ride. "Let's go!" I say. We start off at a slower pace to keep the kids safe. Soon, however, it's clear they won't just fall off, so we run a little faster. After a few hours of traveling, we finally come to our familiar cave. I dismount Epona and immediately and lift Cassie off of Ookami. It's clear Ookami's demon form is bugging her, and I can't blame her after that long. She quickly transforms back into a human.

"This is so much better," she smiles. "Well, I mean, I love my demon form as well, but it's nice to finally be able to hear my own thoughts rather than the demon's."

"I get what you mean, Oki. I totally get you," I laugh. "Welcome to your new home. Well, your new temporary home." I lead her past some thorns (put there as an attempt to keep wild animals out), and into the huge cave. I carefully watch her. I want to see her reaction to this place.

"Woah," the blonde lets out. I can't help but let a grin creep across my face. "This is… This is impressive," she gasps. "How did you find it?"

"I didn't find it-Link did," I tell her. Link stands with his arms crossed, leaning against a wall with a small smirk on his face.

"Koume and Kotake's old hideaway if you'd like to call it that. Obviously they don't use it anymore, and it's completely forgotten, as well as well-hidden. It has many, many rooms for some reason-enough to put about one thousand members if we put two to a room. Not to mention how many people we could have if we put more than two in a room," Link explains.

"How long were we gone?" I ask him.

"A few days," he says. I frown.

"In Ookami's world, we were gone for just one day. That means…" I turn to Ookami. "How long were you in your world?" I ask.

"A week or two," she answers back. "It's hard to tell, though. I was trapped in that basement for a while and there weren't any windows," she says.

"I guess time happens faster here than in Ookami's world," I shrug. I realize something suddenly. "Ookami, how well are you feeling?" I inquire. She looks at me, confused.

"Fine… Why?"

"Well, considering Lark should be here soon, you're going to be tackled sometime soon. It would probably be good to have you in good health," I inform out.

"You have a point there," Ookami laughs.

"Let's hide you for a while so I can get Lark calmed down before he sees you…" I chuckle. "He's been a wreck, to be honest. Link, would you find her a room and get her set up in there?" Link guides Ookami through the cave halls, filling her in on what has happened lately. Ai tugs on my skirt gently. "What is it, hon?" I ask her, bending down to her level. She blushes slightly, reminding me of a little Kokiri child.

"Momma," she starts. "Could you do my hair?" _Oh, well this is a problem._ I think about it for a moment. When I braided Ookami's hair, I got lucky, and it came out as a braid. Ai's hair hasn't been brushed in a while (probably because Link was watching over her and he didn't know better), so it will be a bit difficult to untangle. I finally come up with a solution.

"Ai, why don't we sit down outside for a little while, I'll brush your hair, and then see what I can do?" I suggest. Ai nods excitedly. I grab my brush from my room, along with some hair bands I got from Castle Town long ago. I never really use them, but I suppose they'll come in use this time. We find ourselves a nice fallen tree to sit on, where I carefully brush out all the tangles from Ai's long, brown hair. She reminds me a lot of myself when I was younger: long brown hair, green eyes, and the same kind of innocence I had before my mother died.

"Mommy, when are you going to get married to Daddy?" she asks quietly. I can't help but momentarily hesitate as I'm brushing her hair, trying to come up with an answer. A few brush strokes later, I finally come up with a fitting response.

"Ai, your dad and I will be married whenever we're done fighting with this war, hopefully," I tell her.

"When will that be?"

"I don't know," I answer honestly. I part her hair straight down the middle, then pull one side into a ponytail. I pull the other side into another ponytail as well. "There, now you've got pigtails," I smile at her. Ai looks back with pure joy on her face. Her chubby little cheeks turn a red from the cold and excitement.

"Thank you, Momma!" she squeals. I laugh.

"No problem, honey," I smile, picking her up. "What's that?" I ask, eyeing the rock she has in her hand.

"It's a piece of limestone," she smiles. "Wanna try some?"

"Try some?" I ask her.

"Yeah, Momma," she giggles, like I'm the silliest thing in the world. "Like this." Before I can stop her, she sticks the rock in her mouth.

"Ai!" I exclaim in immediate panic. To my surprise, she munches down on the rock like it's nothing more than a piece of bacon.

"Quartz is my favorite, but limestone is good too," she smiles, swallowing the rock. I sit there, totally bewildered. _Did that just happen, or am I imagining things…?_ "What's wrong, Momma?"

"N-nothing… Ai, did you just _eat_ a _rock?"_

"Yes, Momma. It was limestone," she giggles.

"Where did you learn that?"

"Nowhere. I just know they taste good. Don't you do that too?" she inquires, thoroughly confused.

"No, Ai, most people don't eat rocks. Gorons do, but they're the only ones," I explain. "Come on, hon. We'll go inside for now, and I'll talk to Daddy about your eating habits." I swear if Link let her eat rocks I'm going to have to be the only parent of this poor child. Before I can take her inside, however, the sound of hooves alarms me. "Ai, come over here, and don't make a sound," I whisper, ducking behind a bush. "Stay right here, and don't move," I instruct, creeping out from behind it carefully. I watch a dark figure coming in from the distance. It takes me a moment to recognize the horse and rider, but when I do, I stand up confidently and welcome him. "Lark!" I smile, grinning. Lark looks at me, not smiling. His eyes contradict him, however, and tell me he's happy to see me.

"Miriam! You're back! Is Oki back yet?" he asks. I sigh.

"Hold on, Lark, we've got a lot to catch up on. Ai, you can come out now," I tell her. She happily bounds right up to Lark and hugs his leg.

"Uncle Lark!" she squeals.

"I'm your uncle now?" he chuckles.

"Yupp," she confirms.

"Did you know," I start, "that Ai eats rocks?" This seems to startle Lark as much as it did me. "I just found out, and it's puzzling me. I can't figure out what she is or what she's doing here. I don't know her parents, and I don't know what race she is," I grumble with frustration. "Anyways, how was your journey?" I ask partially as a joke and partially serious.

"It was… Interesting. I spent most of my time avoiding Ganondorf and his allies rather than actually searching for you. Thanks for the scare, by the way," the shadow growls sarcastically.

"I did leave a note saying not to search for me," I shrug. "Now, would you like to come inside instead of freezing out here?" I suggest. It's getting darker and chillier outside already. Lark just sort of lets out a grunt and follows me inside. Zelda and Micah walk in out of nowhere. Zelda is partially wearing her Sheikah clothes, but her hair is let down. You can clearly see her face without the cloth covering it. "Hey, Micah! Come here and meet my other brother," I grin.

"Other brother?" Micah and Lark say at the same time. I can't help but let out a laugh.

"Micah is my blood brother. Half-brother, really. And Lark is my sworn brother. Also, this is the Princess Zelda. She is also known as Sheik. I'm sure you two have met before, though," I smile. "I'll go see what Link is up to and we can all sit and chat." I quickly start to scurry away.

"Wait! You didn't tell me if Oki was here!" Lark calls out. I ignore him and keep up my scurrying. Ghirahim pops out in an instant.

"That was very cruel of you, Master," he says, a faint smile on his white lips.

"Oh, but absence makes the heart grow fonder."

Chapter 43

I skip down the halls with my happy news. I find Link and quickly tell him of Lark's arrival, then ask him where Ookami is staying. Upon receiving her location, I quietly prance up to her door and knock on it merrily. "Oh, Oki," I sing. A few footsteps later, the door opens to a relatively large room that the blonde is staying in.

"What is it? I was just getting adjusted to this place," she sighs. No matter how grumpy the little blue-eyed demon is, she can't wipe the smile off my face. "What are you smiling about?"

"Just come with me," I beam gladly, grabbing her wrist and dragging her down the long cave halls. "I hope you're feeling just fine, along with your back, because it'll be hurting in just a moment." Ookami looks thoroughly confused, a sure sign of accomplishment. We walk into the main room in no time. "Keep quiet," I whisper to Ookami. She is shaking with excitement, while Lark hasn't noticed us yet. "Hey Lark!" I call out. Lark turns around, nearly jumping out of his skin when he sees Ookami. I sidestep out of the way quickly, allowing Lark to tackle Ookami to the ground, right where I had been standing. "Nothing like a great reunion," I grin. The little blonde seems rather squished.

"You might want to let her breath, Dark," Link chuckles awkwardly. I shove Lark away to give Ookami enough time to stand up. Then I let him go and he hugs her tightly.

"Don't ever do that again," he says over and over again. I get a glance at Ookami's face, and there's a trail of happy tears streaming down her rosy cheeks.

"I missed you so much," Ookami mumbles through Lark's black tunic. They finally pull away for a moment to kiss one another.

"You didn't greet me like that," I tell Link jokingly.

"It's not too late now," he grins.

"You missed your chance, buddy," I laugh, teasingly pinching his cheek. "Alright you two, you need to separate before you get attached to each other."

"I missed you so much," Lark says again.

"We get it Lark. You can fill her in on details later when the rest of us aren't there. Now, if you don't mind, it's dinner time."


	2. Part 2

Chapter 40

My entire body feels like it's getting mashed into a thousand pieces, my head spins, and the light is blinding. Everything aches. It's not as bad as what I've experienced before, but it's still rather painful. The light finally clears, leaving me rather discombobulated. I don't quite feel the same, and, upon opening my eyes, I realize that the world in front of me is _extremely_ different. It's definitely not Hyrule, that's for sure. It's even more detailed and less perfect. Everything here is so much more diverse. Even the grass looks unique. I look at myself, realizing that my usual blue and gold trimmed outfit is replaced with something else. I'm wearing… _pants._ I let out an involuntary shriek.

"What am I wearing!?" I exclaim, staring at my clothes. I'm wearing a shirt like Ookami does (I think she called it a T-shirt), but it's dark blue with a golden Triforce on the front. It's rather floppy and surprisingly comfortable. My boots are black with useless black straps on them. My pants are still the most alarming thing on me, though. They're _pants._ And they're so tight!

"You're wearing pants," Ghirahim says, stating the obvious. _He_ didn't change clothes.

"They're so tight!" I frown.

"I believe they're called 'skinny jeans'. They're very fashionable." I scowl at him.

"They're so weird," I whine. I ruffle my hair absentmindedly. Then, I realize it. Someone. Cut. My. _Hair._ WHO IN THE NAME OF FARORE DID THIS!? "MY HAIR!" I scream. Ghirahim smirks.

"You look fabulous with shorter hair," he remarks. It goes past my shoulders, but it's far above my stomach. Not only that, but it's _perfectly_ straight and has lots of shorter pieces. "You have layers," Ghirahim explains.

"Let's get Ookami, and then get the hell out of here," I hiss, starting to walk forward. Walking in pants is so freaking hard.

"Master, do you even know where you're going?" Ghirahim asks. I glare at him.

"No," I answer honestly.

"I would recommend that you sit down and concentrate on Ookami, then. This world is a lot larger than Hyrule. Approximately 24.3 times larger."

"Stop that," I growl. I swear the pants are putting me in a bad mood.

"Stop what?" Ghirahim asks. I struggle to sit down in the skinny jeans.

"Giving me confusing numbers when I'm stressed."

"Master, you're _always_ stressed," he points out.

"Just shut up and let me concentrate," I hiss. Ghirahim obeys since he really doesn't have much of a choice. I close my eyes, letting my mind concentrate on Ookami. Her blonde hair, blue eyes, and cheery personality come to me rather easily. I use my magic to find her. I quickly find myself in a dark room. I have to adjust to the diversity of this world. Finally, I spot the little blonde. My heart sinks immediately. Her head is down, her hands behind her back. Wait-is she… _kidnapped!?_ I look around. No one else seems to be around. "Ookami!" I exclaim. She stirs gently. She's not dead. Ookami's not dead. Ookami isn't dead!

"Mmmm," she lets out, lifting her head to look at me. Her eyes light up slightly. Her face is dirty, her eyes are dull, and she has several wounds. She's gagged with a white rag so she can't speak. Her hands and feet are tied. "Mmmm!" she mumbles. I run to her, kneeling next to her. Since I'm just an illusion, I can't touch her. I'm like a ghost.

"Ookami!" I exclaim. "You're alive! Thank the goddesses! We're going to get you back safely, I promise," I tell her. Something slams in the other room. Ookami's blue eyes widen with fear. I can feel my magic quickly draining. "I have to leave now, Ookami. I'll come rescue you, though. I promise," I tell her. I open my eyes, finding myself staring at Ghirahim again. "This is becoming a nasty habit of yours," I tell him, unfazed.

"Did you find her?" he asks.

"She's been kidnapped," I sigh. "I swear she's got the Princess Zelda curse." Ghirahim looks thoroughly confused. "This is about the third time she's been kidnapped. Although it's better than me," I admit. Got kidnapped twice by Ganondorf and many, many times as a child by Naberius… "Let's get her and get out," I tell Ghirahim. He nods. I look at him. "Um… Is there any way you can disappear? You look a little different…" I point out. He looked different in Hyrule, let alone this world. Ghirahim sighs.

"I'll become a knife, Master. I'll become a sword when we go back to Hyrule, but you can't be walking around with a sword in this world. A knife is a little more conspicuous." I shrug. I hold out my hand, where he quickly transforms into a small, yet impressive black knife. It has very detailed work on the handle. _Ghirahim can't do anything without being flamboyant,_ I think to myself. I slide the knife carefully into my black boots.

I carefully use my magic to locate Ookami again. Lucky for me, she isn't far away. I hurry in the direction that she's in. I find out very quickly that there are large beasts on the road that roar rather loudly. I quickly avoid them, finding an alternate route. My magic leads me to a sketchy house that looks like it hasn't been kept up with in a while. Most of the houses in the bad parts of Castle Town look better than this thing. At any rate, I start to walk towards it.

"Master," Ghirahim's familiar voice reaches me. "Wouldn't it be smarter to wait until her captors came out of that?" he suggests. I notice that he doesn't even use the word "house".

"I suppose you're right," I murmur, sitting down. The grass is sharp and uncomfortable. I lean against a tree, waiting. But before I know it, my weary eyes start to droop a little and I begin to feel tired. It's already noon or so. I finally give into the weight of my eyes and take a little nap.

»•§•«

"Master!" I hear. I open my eyes, the memory of the day still fresh in my head. "They finally left," Ghirahim confirms. I groggily get up, shaking the grass off my pants. I still can't seem to get adjusted to these pants. "You'd better hurry, though."

"Alright, alright I'm going," I grumble, heading towards the house. "Are you sure there's no one else in there?" I whisper, suddenly a little more frightened. This world is a lot more advanced than Hyrule. Hyrule is typically a peaceful place (other than when Ganondorf, Demise, Agahnim, Naberius, or Ghirahim try to take over). This land seems rather busy and noisy.

"Wait- there is another person in there," Ghirahim murmurs. "Two, actually. But one is smaller than the other. Now that you have rested, your magic should be restored," he confirms. I nod.

"Thank you," I tell him, finally pulling on the door. It's locked. That's odd. It doesn't make much of a difference, though, because I use my magic to burst through it anyway. After the dust clears, I find a man pointing something at my head. I stare at it, perplexed. "What exactly is that?" I ask him.

"It's a gun, Master," Ghirahim tells me. "One tiny bead can kill you instantly. Be careful," he warns.

"Who are you?" the man asks. He has gross black hair and blood shot eyes. "Answer or I'll shoot!" he snaps. I raise my eyebrow at him. With a wave of my hand, his gun is flung across the corner of the room. He looks at me, scared, and begins to back up. "You're one of those magic people, aren't you? You came through a portal," he stutters.

"Where is she?" I growl, stepping closer. He backs against the wall. "WHERE. IS. OOKAMI!?" I scream.

"Not so loud, Master," Ghirahim sighs.

"Hush up. You deal with this man, and I'll find Ookami," I tell Ghirahim. "If he doesn't speak up, kill him." Ghirahim obeys, coming out of the knife and questioning the frightened young man. I would be scared, too, if Ghirahim were questioning me like that. I quickly walk down some stairs into a dark basement. The room is familiar. "Ookami!" I exclaim, running over to her. She's in the same place that she was before.

"Mmm!" she lets out, squirming.

"It's alright, we're here," I tell her, untying the rag around her mouth. She coughs. "Don't speak yet. You're dehydrated," I say. I finish untying her hands and feet, then begin to run up the stairs.

"Don't leave," she lets out, her voice cracked. My hands immediately clench into fists. _What did they do to her?_

"I'll be right back," I promise her, running up the stairs. Ghirahim stands with a glass of water in his hands. "What did you do with the man?" I ask him.

"He wouldn't speak," Ghirahim says simply.

"Alright. Look for the other person in the house," I tell Ghirahim. "But don't kill them quite yet." Ghirahim does as I say and walks around the disgusting house. There is trash everywhere. I don't want to put my hands on anything in fear that it will give me some rare disease or something. "Here you go, Ookami," I tell her, handing her the water. She drinks all of it quickly. "What else do you need?" I ask her gently.

"Cassie," she murmurs. I cock my head. _Isn't that the name of her little sister?_

"What about her?" I ask.

"She's…" Ookami starts. Ghirahim comes down the stairs gracefully, smiles at Ookami, and points to upstairs.

"There's a little girl…" Ghirahim chuckles, scratching his head.

"Oki!" something squeals. Ookami's face lights up.

"Oh, and your captors are coming," he says absently. I quickly stand up, pulling Ookami to her feet.

"Let's go," I say quickly. "We'll get food and water soon, I promise," I tell her. Ookami stumbles up the stairs. "Ghirahim, carry her," I tell him. Ghirahim quickly scoops up Ookami. At the top of the stairs is a little red haired girl, about Ai's age.

"Oki! Oki!" the girl squeals with delight. I scoop her up as well. She stares at me, smiling. The kidnappers clearly left Cassie alone. "Where we going, Oki?" she asks. Ookami is passed out in Ghirahim's arms, so I answer for her.

"We're getting away from this place," I tell her, running out the door. Cassie holds onto me tightly. "It'll be okay. We'll make sure you and Ookami are safe," I promise. I instinctively run for the woods. If there's one thing I know in any world, it's a forest. We find a clearling far, far away from the house where we settle down. Ghirahim props Ookami against a tree, and I sit with Cassie. She seems to be in pretty good shape, other than her dirty clothes and some bruises.

"Would you like me to fetch some water?" Ghirahim asks. I nod.

"That would be good," I tell him, sitting with Cassie. Ghirahim snaps his fingers, teleporting away. "Hi, Cassie," I say kindly. Cassie smiles at me, her little green eyes sparkling. "I'm Miriam," I tell her.

"Miri!" Cassie grins. Clearly, Ookami has told Cassie all about me. I let out a laugh.

"Yes, I'm Miri," I tell her. "Would you like to go to Hyrule?" I ask. Cassie's face is _pure joy._ She reminds me of Ai so much. My heart aches a little inside, thinking of my adopted child. "Alright, get some sleep and we may go there soon," I tell the little girl. Cassie nods, curling up next to Ookami. Ghirahim finally comes back. I put my finger to my lips, cautioning him to not awaken Cassie. I gently wake up Ookami and give her the glass of water. She drinks it all, then turns around next to Cassie and falls asleep. I lean against a tree myself, tired of today's events.

Chapter 41

I wake up with a very bright light in my eyes. I cover my eyes from the sun, sitting up. I spot Ookami and Cassie still curled up next to each other. Out of the corner of my eye, there's a bit of movement. It's a small brown rabbit. Well, I guess that works. I carefully pull Ghirahim's knife from my boot and throw it at the bunny. I feel kind of sorry for it, but it's for a good reason. My stomach growls loudly, reminding me of how hungry I really am. I gather some sticks, then, too lazy to put in the work, I use my magic to start a fire. I skin the rabbit and start to cook it. Cassie is the first to waken, and she walks over to the fire, quietly sitting in front of it.

"Miri?" she says innocently.

"Yes?" I respond, turning the rabbit.

"Are we leaving today?" she asks quietly. I smile at her.

"I don't know," I tell her honestly. "Make sure you don't wake your sister," I warn her. Cassie nods. She's like a little miniature Ookami. Her eyes and hair are different colors, but her face is just like her sister's. I gather some water from a pond nearby and fill the glass from yesterday with it, setting it over the fire to let it boil. The rabbit is finally cooked. Ookami begins to stir. Her face is dirty, and she has several wounds on her. I frown, but Ookami smiles at the sight of the rabbit. "Good morning," I tell her, handing her the glass of water. Ookami shakes her head and hands it to Cassie, who quickly accepts it. I refill the cup.

"Thanks for saving me," Ookami says tiredly. I nod, handing her a bit of the rabbit. She takes it and eats it hungrily. I give a small piece to Cassie, who turns her nose up at it. I laugh.

"It's the only food we'll have for a while," I tell the little girl. She carefully takes it, sniffs it, and takes a giant bite of it. The ginger clearly doesn't like the taste, but is too hungry to complain. I take a small piece for myself and give the rest to Ookami. "We'll have to tend to those wounds there," I tell Ookami. She seems much more lively now that she's had food and water.

"I'm fine," she says.

"No you're not," I growl. "We're going to get you cleaned up before we go back to Hyrule," I tell her.

"Where are the others?" she asks. I know by 'others' she means Lark. I scratch my head awkwardly.

"I may have come here without telling them…" I chuckle awkwardly. Lucky for me, Ookami doesn't have the strength to slap me.

"You left the Links to worry about us!?" she exclaims. "Do you even realize what they'll do!?" Now that she mentions it, yes. I can imagine what they'll do.

"Well, they'll probably search all of Hyrule and murder everything that looks even remotely like a threat all while contemplating to kill themselves. You should have seen Lark when I told him I couldn't sense you…" I frown. Ookami looks very concerned. "Well, we kept him from hurting himself." Cassie stares at us, perplexed. I smile at her. "You remind me so much of Ai," I say out loud.

"Who?" Ookami asks. _Oh… Right… Ookami doesn't know about Ai…_ I remind myself.

"My adopted daughter," I say casually. Ookami nearly chokes on the piece of rabbit. I take a deep breath. "Link and I found her in a forest and she called us her momma and dada so we just went along with it and her veins glow when she's upset and she's freakishly powerful, so powerful that even Ghirahim can't quite comprehend how much magic she has and I have no clue what to do with her," I blurt out. Ookami stares at me. "Oh you'll figure it out later," I shrug.

"Master?" Ghirahim speaks up.

"Yes?"

"How are we going to get back to Hyrule?" he asks. _Well that's a dilemma, _I think to myself.

"I don't know…" I answer. "But I'll think of something. Hey, Ookami, why did those guys kidnap you in the first place?" I ask her.

"They wanted me to open a portal to Hyrule," she sighs. "They threatened to hurt Cassie if I didn't tell them. I don't have enough power to open a portal, so they hurt me, not Cassie." I listen to her, but tear off one of the sleeves of the floppy shirt I'm wearing and dip it in the clean, boiled water. "They took away the potion I had with me-"

"Wait. What?" I interrupt her. Now it's Ookami's turn to explain it. I toss the cloth to her, and she wipes her face with it, getting most of the dirt off of it.

"I can't create the portal on my own," she explains. "I don't have enough magic in me, so I always buy two magic potions from Koume and Kotake. One to create the portal there, and one to send me back. Lark taught me how. He learned from Ganondorf. The men who kidnapped me took away my potion and wasted it. Now I have no way of getting back," she sighs.

"I guess we're stuck here for a while…" I murmur. Then, I get an idea. "Hold on a moment," I tell her, crossing my legs and closing my eyes to concentrate.

"She looks like she's meditating," I hear Ookami whisper to Ghirahim. He hushes her. I concentrate on Ai, with her bright green eyes, long brown hair, and overall adorable stature. She's reaching out to me as well, because in a moment, I open my eyes and see her standing there. "Ai!" I exclaim. I want to hug her, but I know I can't.

"Momma!" she giggles, running up to me. She tries to hug me, but can't. Her veins begin to glow blue with frustration.

"Ai, honey, you need to open another portal," I tell her. She looks up at me, her green eyes twinkling with admiration. "This time, we'll need to fit four people through it. Does that sound okay?" I ask her. Ai nods. "I have some people for you to meet. Go ahead and open the portal. If it's too hard and you can't do it, that's okay too." Ai lets out a small giggle.

"It's not too hard, Momma," she says. "It's easy." With that, she fades away, leaving me feeling kind of empty. Ookami looks at me, intrigued.

"So that's Ai," she says. I nod and start to speak, but I'm quickly interrupted by a very large portal that appears in front of us. The swirly light makes me perplexed. _That's my ticket to home,_ I think to myself, standing up. I help Ookami up, who has washed off most of the dirt off of her face. Cassie holds Ookami's hand very tightly, and Ghirahim returns to the knife. Ookami looks at me.

"You know, you look good with your hair layered like that," she says.

"That's what I said!" Ghirahim exclaims from the knife. "And the pants don't look bad on her, either," he says. Ookami pulls out something from her pocket, aims it at me, giggles, and puts it back into her pocket.

"Okay, let's go," I tell them, walking into the portal. The light swirls around us, and, much like before, my body feels like it's getting mashed into pieces and stuck together again. Finally, it all ends, and I find it safe enough to open my eyes. I breathe in the fresh Hyrule air, so happy to be back at last. "Goddess this feels good!" I grin, throwing my hands into the air, finally home. I'm back in my usual clothes (thank Din I'm not wearing those stupid skinny jeans anymore) with my swords attached as usual and my hair its typical waist length.

"Momma!" I hear. I find Ai, who runs up to me. I hug her tightly, lifting her off the ground. She lets out a giggle.

"Hey you!" I laugh, holding onto her. "Ai, this is Ookami," I tell her.

"Oki," Cassie lets out. "Who's this?" Ookami smiles, scooping Cassie up.

"This is Ai," Ookami says. "Ai, this is Cassie." The two seem to get along rather nicely.

"Momma," Ai mumbles, digging her head into my neck and holding tight. In a few moments, her breathing slows and a little whistle comes out of her nose when she breathes out. I can't help but smile at this.

"Where do you think we are?" I ask Ookami. She shrugs, looking around as well. It looks like part of the Kokiri Woods. It finally registers on where we are. "Oh, we're not far from my tree house," I say, standing in the clearing. "I wonder why Ai was all the way over here… Let's go back to the tree house and see what's up," I suggest. We begin to walk over there, both of us each holding a little girl. I crawl up the ladder of my tree house rather easily, since it's so familiar. Ookami struggles a little more, but I help her up. I unlock the door and walk in, gently laying Ai on the bed. Ookami settles Cassie into the chair in the corner.

"I'll stay here and watch over them. You can go look for anyone else," Ookami says. I nod, quietly walking out the door and crawling down the ladder. I walk around the woods again. It's been a long, long time since I walked around these woods alone. I run my hands along the well-known bark. Before this great adventure, I didn't know I was a half-demon, the Center of the Triforce, or engaged to the Hero of Time. I was living on my own with just the distant knowledge that Link would come and save Hyrule and that I would never meet him. I hadn't met Ookami, Dark Link, Midna, Link, or Malon. I doubt Botan had been very old at all, and who knows what was going on with Ai.

A sound in the distance wakens me from my daydream. I quickly hide behind a tree, once again thankful for my Sheikah heritage. Something moves from behind some trees in the distance. I watch from behind the large oak tree carefully. The figure moves closer until I realize who it is.

"Link!" I exclaim, walking out from behind the giant oak. I guess I surprised him pretty well, because it takes him a moment to realize what's going on. When it finally clicks in his head, he runs towards me, tackling me to the ground. _Um. Ow?_

"Miriam!" he lets out. I can't help but laugh.

"What?"

"I thought you were dead for sure oh, goddess!" he says, hugging me tightly.

"I can't… breathe…" I gasp. He lessens his grip slightly, but still holds onto me. "Why did you think I was dead?" I ask him, laughing slightly. Link sits up, looking me in the eye.

"Miriam, you said you were going for a walk, and then Ai returned. I found the note in your room, and I knew something was up. With Ookami missing, we feared the worst-"

"Wait, what do you mean by _we?"_ I ask him. Link's blue eyes still look concerned.

"I mean Dark and I," he says. "We thought you were gone-probably kidnapped by the same person that kidnapped Ookami. I was so worried, Miriam," Link gasps, hugging me again. I hug back, glad to see him again, though I didn't think he was dead or anything. "Where were you?" he finally asks.

"In the real world," I tell him. He stares at me. "Ookami is in the tree house with her little sister, Cassie, and Ai. Did you leave Ai on her own?" I scowl. Link shakes his head.

"No, actually. I told her to stay close. I was just looking for her. She ran off and I couldn't find her. I was scared for that, too…" he admits.

"You sound like you just had the most stressful twenty four hours of your life," I say teasingly. "Come on, let's get back to the tree house, and you can calm down there. Where's Lark?" I ask him.

"He's searching Hyrule as well. I think he's near Death Mountain." I let out a sigh. It'll take a while to get him as well.

"Let's stay in the tree house for the night," I tell him. "We can search for Lark tomorrow," I say, yawning. It's only noon, but traveling from one world to another has gotten me sleepy.

"Tired already?" Link teases. I nod.

"Jumping from world to world is stressful work," I remind him. "And when we get there, make sure you're gentle with Ookami. She was kidnapped again, and she's still recovering from it." Link nods, though he's clearly concerned about her. "She'll be okay," I say out loud, more for myself than for Link. I'm just happy she's alive.

"I told you she would be okay," Link says teasingly, giving me a gentle punch in the arm. I stick my tongue out at him.

"That world was so weird," I shiver. "Everything was so different. Did you know I even changed clothes when I went there?" I exclaim. "My hair was cut, too."

"Really?" Link asks, surprised. "How did you look?" he asks. A familiar flash of diamonds surprises both of us, until we realize that it's just Ghirahim.

"She looked _fabulous,_" he grins. I roll my eyes at him. "I believe that Ookami still has a picture on that device of hers."

"What!?" I exclaim. "There's evidence of me in _pants!?"_ I nearly wake the whole forest with my shouts. Link and Ghirahim shush me. "Don't you shush me! That needs to be burned! Now!" I snap, running for my tree house. Link and Ghirahim chase after me. (Ghirahim teleports and Link follows close behind.) "Ookami! Emergency!" I shout jokingly. She dashes out of the tree house quickly, spotting Ghirahim and Link and smiles. I bound up the ladder and quickly reach inside her pocket, pulling out the device. It's blank. "Oh never mind," I tell her, handing it back to her.

"What are you doing?" she asks, laughing. "Hey, Link! Long time no see!" she laughs.

"Well, there's no use crying over spilt Ookami," he smirks. _What is with that joke!?_ "Although that doesn't work as well with your name…" he admits. Nonetheless, Ookami goes into a fit of laughter. I ignore them, happy to have no evidence of me with short hair while wearing pants. I let them all inside and start fixing some stew.

"Oh, Link, I have something to show you," Ookami grins. I frown. _That's her evil grin,_ I tell myself. I slowly creep forward, determined to make sure she doesn't know I'm standing behind her. The blonde takes out her device from her pocket and presses a button, making the front light up. "This is my cell phone," she explains. _Oh yes, like that makes sense._ I refrain from saying anything, in the fear that she'll notice me behind her. Ookami presses on the front of it a few times and all of a sudden, there's me with short hair and pants. Before she can show Link, I dive-bomb her 'cell phone', quickly taking it out of her hands. "Miriam!" she exclaims.

"There is no way!" I tell her, holding the cell phone far above her head. Link stands up, beginning to walk over to us. Link is taller than I am, so I know I would lose this fight.

"Ghirahim!" I shout.

"No fair!" Ookami and Link shout. I hand the device to my loyal sword spirit.

"Make sure those two can't get to it," I smirk.

"Oh but Master! You looked fabulous," he whines.

"Ghirahim," I say sternly. Ghirahim rolls his eyes and snaps his fingers, making the device disappear. "Thank you. Now if you'll stop teaming up against me, I have some stew," I tell them, holding the bowls of stew up for them. After we've all eaten our stew and finished catching up on things, I can't help but curl up on my bed.

"Taking a nap?" Link asks. I simply nod, slowly falling into sleep.

Chapter 42

"Mir…" someone murmurs. The smell of the woods and home envelopes me, leaving a small smile on my face. I refuse to open my eyes. "Come on, Mir, we've got some stew that Ghirahim just made," Link coaxes. I slowly open my eyes and sit up.

"How long was I asleep?" I mumble, scratching my head. It feels so great to have my hair back to normal.

"It's morning, and you fell asleep a little after noon," he says. "You must have been tired." I nod, taking the bowl of soup Ghirahim offers me. I smile, noticing Cassie and Ai playing together on the floor. "They've become fast friends," Link explains.

"Good. Ai needs someone her age, and Cassie will need someone to help her adjust to Hyrule," I say, blowing on the hot stew to cool it off. "I should probably tell Lark we're here, huh?" I ask Link.

"I wouldn't recommend telling him we have Ookami. He might do something irrational. Just tell him to come back to the caves and cut it off short, so he can't argue with you," he suggests.

"You know you're just giving me advice on how to control you, right?" I say teasingly. Link rolls his eyes playfully and takes the bowl out of my hands so I can concentrate. I close my eyes, thinking of Lark's red eyes and black clothes. Since he's so close to Link, it's not hard to think about. He comes to me easily.

I nearly get run over by Lark's black horse, until I realize that he'll go right through me. I close my eyes as Geno runs through me, then open them again, staring at where Lark rides Geno. "Lark!" I yell out, trying to get his attention. He's too concentrated on killing Bulblins, I suppose, because he doesn't seem to hear me. As soon as all the Bulblins are killed, I run up to Lark, standing so he can see me clearly.

"What are you doing here!?" he asks, his voice rough. "Did you find Oki?" he asks, dismounting Geno. I blow him off like Link told me to.

"Come back to the caves, Lark," I tell him. He starts to say something, but I break out of the illusion, coming back to my tree house. "Okay, I cut him off early so he didn't get a say in it. I didn't tell him we had Ookami, and I left before he could say anything," I tell Link. He smiles.

"That should work. He'll be too curious to refuse, and he probably misses you," Link remarks. I look over at Ookami, who is fast asleep in a chair near the fireplace. "She was so tired, and I decided to leave her alone this morning. What exactly went on in her world?" he asks. I explain to Link exactly what happened and how we got out. I try not to linger on the fact that my hair was changed and I was wearing pants. Link still finds this hilarious, though, and won't leave the subject alone.

"She looked good enough to-" Ghirahim starts.

"Stop before I have to slap you," I say, cutting him off. The flamboyant demon lord lets out a sigh, but he shuts his trap. "Don't you think we should start heading back soon?" I suggest. I take a sip of the soup, finding it absolutely perfect. Ghirahim can cook, that's for certain.

"We probably should. If Lark doesn't find us there first, he'll probably think Ganon tricked him or something and go after him. You get Ai and Cassie ready, I'll start packing up, and Ghirahim can wake up Ookami or something." Link begins to put the plan into action, but I quickly stop it.

"As much as I love annoying Ookami, I won't put her through the torture of having Ghirahim wake her up," I laugh, walking over to Ookami. "Oki…" I coo softly. Her eyes flash open, and she struggles to catch her breath. "Did I scare you? Sorry," I murmur. Ookami continues to pant and calm herself.

"I'm okay," she says out loud, more for herself than anyone else.

"Did you sleep alright?" I ask her gently.

"Yeah, a few nightmares, but nothing too bad. Are we leaving?" she asks. I nod.

"I told Lark to meet us at the caves-our meeting place-but I didn't tell him you were going to be there. So, uh, be careful not to scare him," I laugh weakly, scratching my head.

"Well this will be an adventure," she chuckles nervously.

"More than you know…" I mumble under my breath. "We'd better get going," I say. Link hands us all bags to carry down to Epona. "Uh, how are we going to travel?" I ask him.

"I honestly didn't think this part through…" he answers. I sit down, thinking it over. I come up with the answer quickly.

"You and Ookami can turn into wolves, and Ai and Cassie can ride on you two. I'll take Epona." The plan seems to agree with both of them, so they both transform into their other selves. "Don't let your demon side take over," I warn Ookami. "You've got precious cargo." I set Cassie on her, who quickly grips Ookami's neck rather tightly. "Loosen up a little, Cas," I chortle. She continues to hold onto the tan wolf, but not nearly as desperately. I pick up Ai and carefully put her on Link. "Be careful with her," I warn him. I know he's just as concerned about her safety as I am, but I can't help myself from saying it.

I swing my leg over Epona, getting ready to ride. "Let's go!" I say. We start off at a slower pace to keep the kids safe. Soon, however, it's clear they won't just fall off, so we run a little faster. After a few hours of traveling, we finally come to our familiar cave. I dismount Epona and immediately and lift Cassie off of Ookami. It's clear Ookami's demon form is bugging her, and I can't blame her after that long. She quickly transforms back into a human.

"This is so much better," she smiles. "Well, I mean, I love my demon form as well, but it's nice to finally be able to hear my own thoughts rather than the demon's."

"I get what you mean, Oki. I totally get you," I laugh. "Welcome to your new home. Well, your new temporary home." I lead her past some thorns (put there as an attempt to keep wild animals out), and into the huge cave. I carefully watch her. I want to see her reaction to this place.

"Woah," the blonde lets out. I can't help but let a grin creep across my face. "This is… This is impressive," she gasps. "How did you find it?"

"I didn't find it-Link did," I tell her. Link stands with his arms crossed, leaning against a wall with a small smirk on his face.

"Koume and Kotake's old hideaway if you'd like to call it that. Obviously they don't use it anymore, and it's completely forgotten, as well as well-hidden. It has many, many rooms for some reason-enough to put about one thousand members if we put two to a room. Not to mention how many people we could have if we put more than two in a room," Link explains.

"How long were we gone?" I ask him.

"A few days," he says. I frown.

"In Ookami's world, we were gone for just one day. That means…" I turn to Ookami. "How long were you in your world?" I ask.

"A week or two," she answers back. "It's hard to tell, though. I was trapped in that basement for a while and there weren't any windows," she says.

"I guess time happens faster here than in Ookami's world," I shrug. I realize something suddenly. "Ookami, how well are you feeling?" I inquire. She looks at me, confused.

"Fine… Why?"

"Well, considering Lark should be here soon, you're going to be tackled sometime soon. It would probably be good to have you in good health," I inform out.

"You have a point there," Ookami laughs.

"Let's hide you for a while so I can get Lark calmed down before he sees you…" I chuckle. "He's been a wreck, to be honest. Link, would you find her a room and get her set up in there?" Link guides Ookami through the cave halls, filling her in on what has happened lately. Ai tugs on my skirt gently. "What is it, hon?" I ask her, bending down to her level. She blushes slightly, reminding me of a little Kokiri child.

"Momma," she starts. "Could you do my hair?" _Oh, well this is a problem._ I think about it for a moment. When I braided Ookami's hair, I got lucky, and it came out as a braid. Ai's hair hasn't been brushed in a while (probably because Link was watching over her and he didn't know better), so it will be a bit difficult to untangle. I finally come up with a solution.

"Ai, why don't we sit down outside for a little while, I'll brush your hair, and then see what I can do?" I suggest. Ai nods excitedly. I grab my brush from my room, along with some hair bands I got from Castle Town long ago. I never really use them, but I suppose they'll come in use this time. We find ourselves a nice fallen tree to sit on, where I carefully brush out all the tangles from Ai's long, brown hair. She reminds me a lot of myself when I was younger: long brown hair, green eyes, and the same kind of innocence I had before my mother died.

"Mommy, when are you going to get married to Daddy?" she asks quietly. I can't help but momentarily hesitate as I'm brushing her hair, trying to come up with an answer. A few brush strokes later, I finally come up with a fitting response.

"Ai, your dad and I will be married whenever we're done fighting with this war, hopefully," I tell her.

"When will that be?"

"I don't know," I answer honestly. I part her hair straight down the middle, then pull one side into a ponytail. I pull the other side into another ponytail as well. "There, now you've got pigtails," I smile at her. Ai looks back with pure joy on her face. Her chubby little cheeks turn a little red from the cold and from the excitement.

"Thank you, Momma!" she squeals. I laugh.

"No problem, honey," I smile, picking her up. "What's that?" I ask, eyeing the rock she has in her hand.

"It's a piece of limestone," she smiles. "Wanna try some?"

"Try some?" I ask her.

"Yeah, Momma," she giggles, like I'm the silliest thing in the world. "Like this." Before I can stop her, she sticks the rock in her mouth.

"Ai!" I exclaim, in immediate panic. To my surprise, she munches down on the rock like it's nothing more than a piece of bacon.

"Quartz is my favorite, but limestone is good too," she smiles, swallowing the rock. I sit there, totally bewildered. _Did that just happen or am I imagining things…?_ "What's wrong, Momma?"

"N-nothing… Ai, did you just _eat_ a _rock?"_

"Yes, Momma. It was limestone," she giggles.

"Where did you learn that?"

"Nowhere. I just know they taste good. Don't you do that too?" she inquires, thoroughly confused.

"No, Ai, most people don't eat rocks. Gorons do, but they're the only ones," I explain. "Come on, hon. We'll go inside for now and I'll talk to Daddy about your eating habits." I swear if Link let her eat rocks I'm going to have to be the only parent of this poor child. Before I can take her inside, however, the sound of hooves alarms me. "Ai, come over here and don't make a sound," I whisper, ducking behind a bush. "Stay right here and don't move," I instruct, creeping out from behind it carefully. I watch a dark figure coming in from the distance. It takes me a moment to recognize the horse and rider, but when I do, I stand up confidently and welcome him. "Lark!" I smile, grinning. Lark looks at me, not smiling. His eyes contradict him, however, and tell me he's happy to see me.

"Miriam! You're back! Is Oki back yet?" he asks. I sigh.

"Hold on, Lark, we've got a lot to catch up on. Ai, you can come out now," I tell her. She happily bounds right up to Lark and hugs his leg.

"Uncle Lark!" she squeals.

"I'm your uncle now?" he chuckles.

"Yupp," she confirms.

"Did you know," I start. "That Ai eats rocks?" This seems to startle Lark as much as it did me. "I just found out and it's puzzling me. I can't figure out what she is or what she's doing here. I don't know her parents and I don't know what race she is," I grumble with frustration. "Anyway, how was your journey?" I ask partially as a joke and partially serious.

"It was… Interesting. I spent most of my time avoiding Ganondorf and his allies rather than actually searching for you. Thanks for the scare, by the way," the shadow growls sarcastically.

"I did leave a note saying not to search for me," I shrug. "Now, would you like to come inside instead of freezing out here?" I suggest. It's getting darker and chillier outside already. Lark just sort of lets out a grunt and follows me inside. Zelda and Micah walk in out of nowhere. Zelda is partially wearing her Sheikah clothes, but her hair is let down and you can clearly see her face without the cloth covering it. "Hey, Micah! Come here and meet my other brother," I grin.

"Other brother?" Micah and Lark say at the same time. I can't help but let out a laugh.

"Micah is my blood brother. Half brother, really. And Lark is my sworn brother. Also, this is the Princess Zelda. She is also known as Sheik. I'm sure you two have met before, though," I smile. "I'll go see what Link is up to and we can all sit and chat." I quickly start to scurry away.

"Wait! You didn't tell me if Oki was here!" Lark calls out. I ignore him and keep up my scurrying. Ghirahim pops out in an instant.

"That was very cruel of you, Master," he says, a faint smile on his white lips.

"Oh, but absence makes the heart grow fonder."

Chapter 43

I skip down the halls with my happy news. I find Link and quickly tell him of Lark's arrival, then ask him where Ookami is staying. Upon receiving her location, I quietly prance up to her door and knock on it merrily. "Oh, Oki," I sing. A few footsteps later, the door opens to a relatively large room that the blonde is staying in.

"What is it? I was just getting adjusted to this place," she sighs. No matter how grumpy the little blue-eyed half-demon is, she can't wipe the smile off my face. "What are you smiling about?"

"Just come with me," I cheer gladly, grabbing her wrist and dragging her down the long cave halls. "I hope you're feeling just fine, along with your back, because it'll be hurting in just a moment." Ookami looks thoroughly confused, a sure sign of accomplishment. We walk into the main room in no time. "Keep quiet," I whisper to Ookami. Ookami is shaking with excitement, while Lark hasn't noticed us yet. "Hey Lark!" I call out. Lark turns around, nearly jumping out of his skin when he sees Ookami. I sidestep out of the way quickly, allowing Lark to tackle Ookami to the ground, right where I had been standing. "Nothing like a great reunion," I grin. The little blonde seems rather squished.

"You might want to let her breath, Dark," Link chuckles awkwardly. I shove Lark away to give Ookami enough time to stand up. Then I let him go and he hugs her tightly.

"Don't ever do that again," he says over and over again. I get a glance at Ookami's face, and there's a trail of happy tears streaming down her rosy cheeks.

"I missed you so much," Ookami mumbles through Lark's black tunic. They finally pull away for a moment to kiss one another.

"You didn't greet me like that," I tell Link jokingly.

"It's not too late now," he grins.

"You missed your chance, buddy," I laugh, teasingly pinching his cheek. "Alright you two, you need to separate before you get attached to each other."

"I missed you so much," Lark says again.

"We get it Lark. You can fill her in on details later when the rest of us aren't there. Now, if you don't mind, it's dinner time." I turn away from the happy couple and walk towards the kitchens. Ai follows close behind, along with Cassie. The two are becoming fast friends already.

"Why do you dress like that?" Ai asks innocently. Cassie is wearing something very similar to Ookami's outfit-that same t-shirt looking thing with a skirt.

"Why does everyone dress funny around here?" Cassie wonders out loud. The two girls look to me, as if asking for an answer. I simply shrug at them, pondering the question myself. Ghirahim pops in with a flash of diamonds, which partially frightens and fascinates the girls.

"Do you mind if I answer their question, Master?" he asks politely.

"Go right ahead, Ghirs," I say. He gives a quick glare, but turns back to the girls, skillfully walking backwards.

"You see, girls, you both come from two very different places. When you come from different places, you may dress differently. You two come from different cultures. Different cultures often dress differently, eat differently, and even speak differently," he tells them. They nod in understanding and go back to talking about whatever little girls talk about.

"I never knew you were so good with kids," I tell him. Ghirahim shrugs.

"Over the thousands of years, I've discovered that if you kidnap a kid, you'd better be good to them. They won't do anything if you scare them. Did you know that this is the first time I've ever been on the good guys' side?"

"Do you like it?" I ask.

"I do indeed. It's a nice change," he answers. "Plus, the color scheme is _fabulous."_ I should have known there was a catch. We finally make it to the kitchens, which are already pretty crowded. I find a table with a few others I recognize. Zelda walks over, sitting with us.

"How are Ookami and Lark?" she asks.

"They seem pretty darn content," I laugh. "Oh, there they are." The happy couple walks towards us. Lark has his arm wrapped firmly around Ookami's waist. I wouldn't be surprised if the two were attached from now on.

"It's good to see you two together again," the princess smiles at the two. Lark lets on a tiny little smile, while Ookami grins.

"I'm happy to be back, trust me," she sighs with relief. I look around the room, realizing that a lot of people are staring at us.

"Is there any particular reason why people are so fascinated with us?" I question.

"You've been missing, and the entire group has been worried sick. They're obviously going to look at you funny," Link explains, placing himself next to me.

"You should give a speech," Ghirahim cheers. I shake my head.

"I'm too tired for that," I tell him.

"Oh, come on, Miri," Ookami winks. I groan, standing up, tapping my glass with a spoon. The kitchen almost immediately silences. I stand up on my chair.

"Hey, everyone," I smile at everyone. It's pretty cool to see that everyone in this room-thousands of them-are all on my side. "You're probably wondering why I left for a while. This," I say, pointing to Ookami, "is the reason. Everyone, this is Ookami. She's one of the best archers I've met, she brings new perspective to the table, and she's also my best friend. Treat her like you would me. I know you'll all welcome her here. Also, for all the lead fighters, meet me in the Meeting Room after dinner," I tell them. Lead fighters are the group of people we put together that we believe are the best strategists and fighters. I sit back down, and everyone resumes their meals. One of the cooks brings me a meal and I thank them graciously.

"Hey, did you hear what the people have been calling us?" Micah asks, appearing out of nowhere. I look at my brother and smile. It's practically like looking in a mirror.

"No, what is it?" I question.

"I've heard that they're calling us the Goddess's Brigade. Pretty cool name, right?" I have to admit, that is pretty clever. "We should make it official. Mention it at the meeting or something," Micah suggests.

"Nice idea," I grin. "Perhaps an official name will ramp up the spirit a little more." We all eat our dinners rather quickly so we can be the first ones to the meeting room. I clear my plate and scurry to the meeting room. There, the map lies on the giant slab of stone at the center of the cavern. Someone obviously took the time to make figurines of The Goddess's Brigade and Ganondorf's army. I see that they have been carefully placed in their exact locations. Looking closely, I see someone took the time to actually carve the individual people-or at least the group of leaders. I laugh at the figurine that I'm assuming is mine. The small face is stern, pointing towards Ganondorf's army. Link, Micah, Zelda, Ookami, Lark, and Ghirahim come in all at the same time with Ai trailing behind them.

"Who made the figurines?" I ask them, picking up Link's and gently putting it back on the map.

"I did," a small voice says. I turn towards the door, seeing Eve there. I smile at her. The seer never ceases to surprise me. "Do you like them? I closed my eyes for a while and thought hard about what you would look like. That is what I came up with."

"They're amazing, Eve. You have a real gift," I laugh, watching other people file in. Once I see that everyone is in, I get started. "Alright, everyone! Now that I'm back, we can begin planning any form of attack. I see that we have gathered many more troops since I have been gone. I am assuming everyone has been checked for any signs of evil?" Link nods. I smile. "This is a great start. The more people we gather, the better our chances of winning are. And we _are_ going to win!" I cheer. The group cheers with me. "Now, before we talk strategies, I've heard that people have already named our group the Goddess's Brigade." Several people nod their heads in agreement. "Good, let's keep it that way. Perhaps if we have an official name, we'll feel more like a team. Now, onto strategies…" I begin to go over some plans, listening to others' suggestions and responding back the best I can.

"Madam?" a young Sheikah that I recognize pipes up. I recall that his name is Marcel. I met him in the Sheikah Caverns a while ago, and he's proved to be a great fighter.

"Yes, Marcel?" I answer.

"Do you think it would be a good idea to sabotage Ganondorf's camp before we attack?" he says.

"What exactly are you suggesting?" I question.

"You know, steal their weapons, take their horses, that sort of thing. It wouldn't have to be anything too dramatic since our families are in there, but things just to make sure Ganondorf has a harder time." I can feel a grin involuntarily spreading across my face.

"Marcel, you're brilliant!" I exclaim, reaching out and hugging the blonde Sheikah. When I pull away, he's blushing. I give him a pat on the arm. "That's just what we'll do. Perhaps it will get everyone a little more into it as well. It will set back Ganondorf's army and help us prepare for the battle. Since we need more weapons and horses anyway, we can easily take theirs. It shouldn't be too complicated." I turn to the others, seeing their eyes light up. "Any suggestions as to when we should do this whole thing?"

"Tomorrow, perhaps?" Ghirahim suggests from the corner of the room. I nod. I almost forgot he was there in the first place.

"Tomorrow, we'll take about twenty people or so and raid Kakariko, only taking weapons and horses. We'll need Malon to help with the horses, and I'm sure Zelda and Ookami could help. Micah can come, and the Links can stay behind."

"But-" both Links start. I cut them off.

"While Ookami and I appreciate your concern, we're both big girls and can handle ourselves very well. Marcel, Micah, and Ghirahim will be with us. We will do just fine, I promise," I tell them, patting Lark on the head. "We leave tomorrow at noon, after lunch. Lead Sheikahs will be coming with us. Your stealth will be much appreciated. You're dismissed," I tell them all. They begin to file out, chattering among themselves. Eve stays behind.

"Would you like for me to go?" she asks. "I realize I cannot see, but I may be able to help in some way." I put my hand on her shoulder.

"Eve, I can't think of anyone with better sight than you. You are welcome to come with us, but I also need more people to stay behind. Also, I need someone to make sure Link and Lark don't come out and try to rescue us or something," I sigh. It's painfully true. Knowing the two of them, they will try to follow us and save us or something. Eve chuckles.

"I understand perfectly," she smiles. "And Miriam?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for not taking it easy on me. I know my being blind makes people feel sorry for me, but it's very nice to be treated like a normal human." Without another word, she walks out of the cave, leaving me alone with Micah and Ghirahim.

"Why are you so mature?" Micah teases.

"I'm really not. I just pretend to be," I tell him. He punches me in the arm playfully, but it actually hurts. I punch him right back. He rubs his arm.

"No, no, don't hold back," he growls sarcastically. While I'm on the track of annoying him, I reach up and ruffle his hair. This seems to really tick him off, so I begin to dash out of the caves, my big brother hot on my heels. "Get back here, twerp!" he exclaims. I run off, dodging several people who look rather shocked that I'm engaging in nonsense.

"Can't catch me!" I yell to him, playfully waving my arms at him. I feel arms wrap around my waist, and I instantly begin to squirm.

"Gotcha!" Link laughs with success. Micah catches up quickly and begins to tickle me, making me melt to the ground and nearly kick him in the face. I'm giggling so much that I can hardly breathe.

"Say you surrender!" Micah commands, still tickling me.

"Never!" I say between giggle fits.

"Alright, then I guess I'll have to keep going," he says.

"Fine! I surrender!" I shout. He immediately stops, straightening back up. I stand up, dusting myself off. "Psych!" I take off running through the caves again, Micah following quickly behind. I may be part Sheikah, but Micah is full-bred Sheikah, and he was raised by Sheikah. He's much faster than I am, so I have to resort to tricking him. I dodge rocks and make rapid turns. Finally, I end up somewhere I've never been before. It's about the size of a closet, so I shimmy my way into it. I let myself catch my breath. I cannot hear anything, though it's not unusual, since Micah is very quiet. I allow myself to peak out, but get the scare of my life when I do.

"BOO!" Micah roars. I let out a shriek that echoes down the halls. After steadying myself, I just about kick him.

"You scared the rupees out of me!" I cry. "I could have had a heart attack, you know."

"You're too young to have a heart attack," he grins, leading me back down the hallways. "Now, you need to go to bed. It's been a long day, and we've got a raid tomorrow," my big brother winks. I shake my head at him.

"You're ridiculous, you know that?" I laugh, heading back towards my own room. I scoop up Ai on the way into my room. "You ready for bed?" I ask her. She nods. I can tell she's getting very tired. I push her hair from her eyes. I catch Micah shaking his head at me. "What?"

"You look so much like a mother right there. It's weird," he sighs. I ruffle his black hair again.

"Don't worry, I'm still your annoying little sister," I tell him. "Say good night to Uncle Micah, Ai," I tell her. She waves at him.

"Good night, Uncle Micah. Good night, Daddy," she says, turning to Link.

"I didn't even see you there, Link," I smile. "We're heading to bed. I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night," Micah and Link say in unison. I take Ai into our room and set her down on her bed. She falls right to sleep. I find that I, too, fall right to sleep.


End file.
